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' I am come a light into the world." -Frontispiece (see page 199). 




THE 

hristian's Legacy. 



m 



WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING 



A COMPENDIUM OF THE HOLY BIBLE, 

AN INDEX OF THE PROPER NAMES IN THE OLD AND NEW 
TESTAMENTS, WITH THEIR ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION. 



BY 



REV. WILLIAM JACKSON, D.D. 



INTRODUCTION BY 



REV. ARTHUR T. PIERSON, D.D. 



" So they read in the Law of God distinctly, and gave the sense and 
caused them to understand the reading." — Nehemiah 8:8. 



NEW YORK: 
W. J. HOLLAND. 

1889. 




/6SO*} 






Copyright, 1889, 
By W. J. HOLLAND. 



All rights reserved. 



Typography by J. S. Cushinq & Co., Boston. 
Presswork ey Berwick & Smith, Boston. 



PREFACE. 



The Bible, after the strictest researches of an enlightened and in- 
quiring age, is allowed by the wise, judicious, and thinking part of man- 
kind, who are best acquainted with it, to be the only book in the world 
that can make men truly wise unto salvation. Hence, in different periods, 
various attempts have been made to elucidate the Scriptures ; sometimes 
by classical and critical disquisitions, or by illustrations of ancient man- 
ners and customs ; at others by extensive and voluminous commentaries, 
which can neither be procured nor read by a very great majority of the 
people ; but more frequently by sermons, homilies, pamphlets, and tracts. 
And that many of those publications possess great merit, the author of 
this volume is ready to admit, as it is very remote from his desire to 
establish the credit of his own work by depreciating the productions of 
others ; but it would require a greater acuteness of discernment, and a 
more extensive knowledge of men and things, than he gives himself the 
credit of possessing, to decide which of those modes has been the most 
successful in making manifest the unsearchable riches of Christ. 

Our blessed Redeemer, who best knew the most profitable method of 
reading the Scriptures, has directed us to search them for a knowledge 
of his character and offices : John v. 39. Every hopeful mean ought, 
therefore, to be used for assisting Christians to reap all the benefit from 
the Holy Scriptures they are calculated to afford ; and any attempt, if 
well executed, must prove of real service to the community ; and should 
the attempt fail, the undertaker cannot fail to enjoy the pleasurable 
satisfaction of knowing, that, "to do good, and to communicate, ,, he 
has done what he could ; while the ingenuous part of mankind will make 
allowances the most favorable, on account of the goodness of the action. 
Under the influence of this sentiment, the writer of the following pages 
has acted in presenting them to the public eye ; while his humble design 
has been to establish the faith, promote the comfort, and influence the 
practice, of the weak and feeble of Christ's flock, 



ADDRESS, 



TO ALL WHO LOVE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, OF EVERY 
NAME AXD PLACE. 



Beloved Brethren : — 

I choose to dedicate this little book to you, knowing that the promises 
of the God of truth are made unto you, in Christ Jesus ; whom the Holy 
Spirit hath sealed, and given an earnest in your hearts as security for 
the fulfilment of them : 2 Cor. i. 20-22. And you, being taught of God, 
alone understand the things of God : 1 Cor. ii. 14. 

The Bible might fitly be called a Booh of Promises ; but in order to 
assist you in finding a promise suited to your case, I have selected three 
hundred of those gracious assurances, and hare made a few plain, 
practical remarks and observations on each of them ; and have referred 
you to many hundreds more of other promises, and portions of Scripture, 
illustrative of those remarks and observations ; so that, in a good degree, 
it will answer the end of a Concordance. Each page is taken up with 
one promise ; and you will find, alternately, one taken from the Old and 
another from the Xew Testament ; for the purpose of enabling you, at 
once opening the book, to have two promises before you applied to your 
case. You will find at the beginning of the book, an alphabetical index ; 
and, by looking at which, you will be able to find, with ease, any promise 
you may desire : and at the end of the book, you have an index to all 
the promises treated of in the first three hundred pages. 

I have also added an Appendix, containing some general remarks on 
the several parts of the Bible : designed especially for the young ; and in 
which. I humbly hope, you will find much to assist you in reading, and 
understanding that best of all books, the Bible. It is intended to 
make the reading of the Scriptures easy to those who are not already well 
acquainted with them. And to accomplish which, I have, throughout 
the whole, availed myself of such helps as were within my reach ; while 
the Bible has been both my text-book and my test-book. And that the 
great head of the Church may graciously accept, and bless this humble 
offering, is the fervent prayer of 

Your soul's servant, W. J. 



INTRODUCTION. 



HTHE promises of God touch the believer at every vital 
-**- point of contact. Their relation to him is as varied as 
his spiritual wants are multiplied and his spiritual experience 
is multiform. 

To his faith they are both foundation and culmination, 
corner-stone and capstone. We are told to " believe." But 
what are we to believe ? Blind confidence, however positive, 
can lead us only, as all blind leaders do, into the ditch of dis- 
appointment, or the pitfall of disastrous ruin. We are not 
called upon to believe vaguely, unintelligently, irrationally. 
The word of God is the warrant of our faith. Beneath our 
firm-footed confidence is a "Thus saith the Lord." Belief 
accepts the truth and fact contained in the statements, prop- 
ositions, affirmations, made in the Bible. 

To the believer's hope, also, the " exceeding great and pre- 
cious promises " are the inspiration. When he is asked a 
reason for the hope that is in him, these are his answers. 
The promises are the celestial colors with which the Divine 
Artist paints the future prospect of the child of God ; and 
on that picture of his heavenly inheritance Hope fixes her 
enraptured gaze. The joy that is thus set before him is so 
uplifting and inspiring that it makes even his heavy cross 
seem light and already encircles his brow with the crown of 
glory that fadeth not away. Without God's word of promise 
there could be no hope that maketh not ashamed. There 
might be expectancy, but there could be no warrant for it. 



Z INTRODUCTION. 

It is only the promise of God that gives certainty to our 
assurance of hope. 

Thus the believer's joy is inseparable from the precious 
promises. We find joy to be threefold : the joy of memory, 
experience, and anticipation ; the retrospect, the aspect, the 
prospect. If it be the joy of remembrance, it is that of the 
promises fulfilled; if, of present realization, it is that of 
the promises embraced and enjoyed; if, of future foretaste, 
it is the joy of promises anticipated. The believer thus dwells 
in the promises. They irradiate his past experience, they illu- 
minate his present path, they glorify his future estate. 

Our obedience is encouraged and stimulated by the prom- 
ises; for all promises are both addressed to obedient souls 
and are the reward of doing the will of God. This is the 
indispensable condition of their reception and realization. 
Departure from God leads into deep darkness — nay, it is itself 
darkness that may be felt. The light of promise breaks only 
upon the pathway of obedience, which is, in fact, the very 
pathway also of promise. Gerizim and Ebal are the typical 
mountains that stand at the very gateway of life : the moun- 
tains of blessing and of cursing, of promise and of threaten- 
ing; and, whether we stand on the sunlit slopes of the one 
or under the frowning shadows of the other, depends upon 
our obedience to God. 

Our love is likewise closely related to the promises. They 
are a revelation of the infinite love that lavished the riches 
of the grace of God upon us while we were in sin and enmity; 
and so we learn to love Him who first loved us. At every 
stage and step of our pilgrimage, these promises are our staff 
and stay ; even in the valley of the shadow of death. There 
is no vale of Baca whose fountains of tears they cannot trans- 
form into wells of salvation. Love is constantly expanded 
and enriched by the experience of fulfilled promises. They 
spread our table in the midst of enemies. We feast and are 



INTRODUCTION. 6 

fed and filled, our head is anointed as with holy oil, and our 
cup runneth over. Love sees the daily ministry of the prom- 
ises, and love grows till it displaces all carnal lusts and cor- 
rupt affections, and controls the heart. 

But what would prayer be without promise ! How could 
he that cometh to God know that He is the rewarder of them 
that diligently seek Him, were it not for His own Word? 
There are minute forms of animal life that build up great 
masses of cells, and as they build rise upon their own work 
nearer to heaven. The believer is such a builder. He lays 
promise upon promise, as sure foundations ; he adds promise 
to promise, and so carries up his spiritual structure, and as 
he builds he ascends upon his own work, mounting higher 
and higher upon the word of the living God, until he reaches 
the heavenly heights themselves. 

Surely a book whose whole theme is the promises, cannot 
be regarded by any believer with indifference. He who col- 
lated and compiled this volume must long have lived in the 
promises which he so beautifully presents. 

ARTHUR T. PIERSOX. 
Philadelphia, March 12, 1889. 



A GENERAL INDEX 

OF THE PROMISES TREATED ON. 



Promises. Page. 

Access to God, of free . . . 98, 99 

Adoption, of 94-97 

Afflictions, of sanctified 134-137 

Angels, the ministry of 164, 165 

Antichrist, the destruction of 298, 299 

Backsliders, to 88, 89 

Benediction, the 310 

Blessings, temporal in general, of 9-15 

Blessing on all that a good man has, of a 34, 35 

Blessing on the children of the good, of a 36, 37 

Blessing on the families of the good, of a 38, 39 

Care, of God's 148, 149 

Charitable, to the 256, 257 

Child-bearing, of support in 56, 57 

Christ's care over the church, of 158,159 

Church, duration of the 300, 30? 

Church, enlargement of the 282-285 

Church, glory of the 286, 287 

Church, peace of the 296, 297 

Church, of the security of the 294, 295 

Church, comfort of the 170, 171 

Company, to keeping good 240, 241 

Conscience, peace of 168, 169 

Contentment, to 268, 269 

Death, of deliverance from 76, 77 

Death, of support in 176,177 

Delight and joy in God, of 174, 175 

Desire of grace, to 230, 231 

Devil, of victory over the J. 16, 117 

Direction, of 30, 31 

Discourse, of ability for good 124, 125 

Enemies, of deliverance from 70, 71 

Enemies of the Church, destruction of 298, 299 

Enjoyment of God, of the . 194,195 

Eternal joys of heaven, of •. . . 186-193 

Evil, of preservation from 40, 41 

Faith in Christ, to 196-199 

Famine, of deliverance from . 66, 67 

Fatherless and Widow, to the . . 62, 63 

Fear of God, to the 220, 221 

Food, of 16, 17 

Fruitfulness, of 128, 129 

God, to the love of 210,211 

God will not forsake his people, that 150. 151 

Grace from Christ, of all 154,155 

Grace, of converting 102, 103 

Grace, of increase of 180, 181 



6 A GENERAL INDEX. 

Promises. Page. 

Grace to mortify sin, of 110, 111 

Grace to persevere, of 132, 133 

Grace of Repentance, of the 104, 105 

Grace, sanctifying, of 100, 101 

Grave, of deliverance from the 178, 179 

Guidance Divine, of 122, 123 

Happiness immediately after death, of 180-183 

Heaven, of glory in . . 190, 191 

Heaven, of happiness in 186, 187 

Heaven, the Kingdom of 192, 193 

Heaven, pleasure and joy in, of . 188,189 

Heavenly inheritance, of a 186-195 

Hearing and reading the word, to ...... 234, 235 

Help, of God's 146, 147 

Honor, of 28, 29 

Hope, of 172, 173 

Hoping in God, to . 216, 217 

Humble, to the 272, 278 

Injuries, to forgiving of . ." . . . . • . . 262, 263 

Interest in God as our God, of an . 138, 139 

Jews, conversion and restoration of the 302-305 

Justification, of . 78-81 

Kings and priests unto God, of 166, 167 

Knowledge of God and Christ, to the 232, 233 

Knowledge, of the increase of 288, 289 

Life, of long 20, 21 

Love and Unity, to 252, 253 

Love of Christ, to the 212, 213 

Love of God, an interest in the 142, 143 

Means of Grace, of the 126, 127 

Meek, to the 270, 271 

Merciful, to the 260, 261 

Mercy in Christ, of . . 152, 153 

Mercy of God, of an interest in the 144, 145 

Ministers, to faithful 244-249 

Ministers, to them that hearken to 250, 251 

Ministers, to supporting of God's 258, 259 

Mourners, to the contrite and 274, 275 

Obedience, to 206, 207 

Obeying Parents, to 242, 243 

Old Age, of support in 54, 55 

Oppression, of deliverance from 74, 75 

Ordinances, of a blessing upon the 108, 109 

Pardon of sin, of . . 82-87 

Parents, to obedience to . . 242,243 

Patience, to 278, 279 

, Peace, of 26, 27 

Peace, love, and unity, of 292, 293 

Peace-makers, to the 254, 255 

Perseverance, to 280, 281 

Plenty, of . . 32, 33 

Poor and helpless, to the . 60, 61 

Prayer, to 224-227 

Prayer, of the Spirit's help in 162, 163 

Presence of God, of the 140, 141 



CONTENTS OF THE APPENDIX — COMPENDIUM. 7 

Promises. Page. 

Prisoner and Captive, to the 64, 65 

Promises, that God will perform all his 306-309 

Purity, to 264, 265 

Purity and righteousness, of 290, 291 

Raiment, of 18, 19 

Redemption in Christ, of 156, 157 

Repentance, of the grace of . . 104,105 

Repentance, to 202, 203 

Reproach, of deliverance from . . . . . . 72, 73 

Resurrection, of a glorious ........ 184, 185 

Safety, of , 22-25 

Salvation through Christ, of 90-93 

Seeking God, to 228,229 

Servants, too faithful 244, 245 

Sickness, of deliverance from 50, 51 

Sickness, of support under 52, 53 

Sin, to confession of 204, 205 

Sin, of grace to mortify 110, 111 

Sincerity and Uprightness, to 208, 209 

Spirit, of the Holy • 160, 161 

Stranger, to the 58,59 

Strength and Courage, of 118,119 

Strength in time of affliction, of 52, 53 

Submission and Patience, to 278, 279 

Suffering for righteousness' sake, to 276, 277 

Talents, to improving our . 266,267 

Teaching, of Divine 106, 107 

Temptation, of grace against 112, 113 

Temptation, to resisting 218, 219 

Tongue, to the government of the 238, 239 

Troubles,' of deliverance from 46-49 

Troubles, of support under 42-45 

Trusting in God, to 214, 215 

War, of deliverance from 68, 69 

Watchfulness, to 222, 223 

Widow and Fatherless, to the 62, 63 

Wisdom, of 120, 121 

Word, to loving of the 236, 237 

World, of victory over the 114,115 



CONTENTS OF THE APPENDIX. 

The meaning of the word Bible 311 

Divisions of the Bible 312 

Table of books, chapters, verses, &c 313 



A COMPENDIUM 

Of Genesis 314 

Of Exodus 316 

Of Leviticus and Numbers 317 

Of Deuteronomy and Joshua 318 

Of Judges and Ruth 319 



8 COMPENDIUM. 

Page. 

Of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel 320 

Of 1 Kings and 2 Kings 321 

Of 1 Chronicles and 2 Chronicles 322 

Of Ezra 323 

Of Nehemiah and Esther 324 

Of Job 325 

Of Psalms 326 

Of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes . . . 328 

Of Solomon's Song 329 

Of Isaiah 330 

Of Jeremiah 331 

Of Lamentations and Ezekiel 332 

Of Daniel 333 

Of Hosea and Joel 334 

Of Amos and Obadiah 335 

Of Jonah, Micah, and Nahum 336 

Of Habakkuk and Zephaniah 337 

Of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi 338 

The word Testament 339 

The word Gospel 340 

Of Matthew 340 

Of Mark and Luke 341 

Of John 342 

The Example of Christ 343 

Of the Acts of the Apostles .344 

Of the Epistles 345 

Of Romans 345 

Of 1 Corinthians 346 

Of 2 Corinthians and Galatians 347 

Of Ephesians 348 

Of Philippians, Colossians, and 1 Thessalonians 349 

Of 2 Thessalonians 350 

Of 1 Timothy 351 

Of 2 Timothy and Titus 352 

Of Philemon and Hebrews . . . 353 

Of James 354 

Of 1 Peter 355 

Of 2 Peter and 1 John 356 

Of 2 John and 3 John . . . . 357 

Of Jude 358 

Of Revelation 359 

The Character of the first Christians 360 

The Miracles of Christ .362 

The Parables of Christ 363 

The Remarkable Discourses of Christ . 364 

Prophecies with their Fulfilment 366 

The Figurative Language of the Bible 367 

The Symbolical Language of the Bible 369 

The Jewish Offerings 385 

The Sects mentioned in the Scripture 387 

On Scriptural DiflSculties . . ...>.>. . . .390 

Supposed Fate of the Evangelists and Apostles . . . . . 392 

Hebrew Oflices 393 

An Index of the Proper Names in the Old and New Testaments . . 395 

An Index for the texts of Scripture 409 



PART I. 

BLESSINGS PROMISED TO THE OBEDIENT. 



CHAPTER I. 

PROMISES OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS: 
IN GENERAL. 

1 " If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land. ' ' — Isaiah 
i. 19. 

THIS precious promise was first made to God's ancient Israel ; 
and holds equally good to all the Israel of God in every age 
of the world. The Lord had rejected their services on account of 
their sins ; still he does not reject them ; but calls upon them to 
cease to do evil, and learn to do well, that it might be well with 
them : Ezek. xviii. 21-24. How kind and gracious their insulted 
Lord is toward them! Here is no penance imposed, no extra 
burdens for them to bear, on account of their base ingratitude and 
rebellion ; no, they are only required to give up that which was 
the cause of all their troubles : viz., their sins. And this is all 
God requires at the hand of the most abandoned among men, 
before he can accept their services. 

Observe, 1st. He does not say if you be perfect in your obedi- 
ence, but, if you be willingly so ; " for if there be first a willing 
mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not accord- 



10 OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAL. 

ing to that he hath not : " 2 Cor. viii. 12. We have only to make 
ourselves clean by reforming our lives, and then God will take 
care that we have the benefit of it, and lead comfortable lives : 
ver. 16. Only live right, and you will assuredly find that nothing 
can go nor come wrong. 

2d. See the encouragement given to well-doing : Be but willing, 
and obedient, and " ye shall eat the good of the land." The land 
here spoken of was the land promised them : and you shall have 
all the blessings of the new covenant, the heavenly land of 
Canaan promised you, and eat of the good of that land. 

3d. None but the willing and obedient, can ever eat, so as to 
enjoy, the good of the land: for though they may live in a good 
land, guilt embitters all they eat ; so that they have not the com- 
fort of it ; but where guilt is removed, every creature of God is 
good : 1 Tim. iv. 4. Be not discouraged : your weakness can be 
no hinderance to God's loving-kindness : if you have but a willing 
mind he will accept of that ; only be careful to evince your will- 
ingness by your obedience : 1 John iii. 22. Your sins can no 
more prevent the mercy of the Lord visiting you, than a patient's 
sickness would prevent his physician: Matt. ix. 12, 13. Yield 
obedience to his commands, and great as your crimes might have 
been against him, He will never upbraid you of them ; for He 
delights in extending mercy to the chief of sinners : Deut. xiii. 
17, 18. Every comfort that you can desire you shall have : yea, 
all the good of the land lies before you : and you shall shortly 
be put in full possession of your inheritance. 

Do not say that your enemies who oppose you are giants, and 
you, in your own eyes, are but a grasshopper; only be willing 
and obedient, and you shall — mark that — there is no if to it : 
no — the ifs and buts relate to changeable man, and not to an un- 
changing God. The land lies just before you: talk not of the 
roughness of the way, but march boldly on in all the ways of 
God's commandments : mountains will fall before you ; valleys 
will be exalted; and, through grace, "ye shall eat the good of 
the land." 



OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAL. 11 

"He that doeth the will of God abideth forever." — 1 John ii. 17. 

THE world's darlings never were God's friends, though he 
greatly befriends them : Matt. v. 45 ; 1 John ii. 15. The 
world, and the things of the world, which sinners so highly 
prize, are passing away ; pride, lust, pleasure, honor, wealth, and 
worldlings, will shortly vanish ; but, " he that doeth the will of 
God abideth forever." The servants of God are known by their 
doing the will of God : Jer. vii. 23. There are many who know 
God's will, but do their own : and who, while they have religion 
in their head, have the love of the world in their heart. Eeligion 
without the world, is better than the world without religion. The 
believer does the will of God because he loves God : John xiv. 15. 
Observe, 1st. The object of a believer's love " abideth forever : " 
and his love shall never fail : Heb. xiii. 8. 2d. The believer him- 
self being born for heaven, and bound to heaven, shall shortly be 
removed thither ; and there abide forever : Prov. xix. 16. There- 
fore, let your will, in all things, submit to God's will, and you 
shall have your will of God. 3d. The will of God must be done 
now, and the consequent blessed state of stability will be enjoyed 
here. " He that doeth" not he that will do ; abideth, not shall 
abide : Matt. vii. 24, 25. 4th. The declaration is made without 
respect to persons ; He that doeth, whatever may be his rank, 
strength or condition: Eom. ii. 11. Do you but take care of 
what belongs to God, and rest assured that God will take care of 
all that belongs to you : 1 Kin. ii. 3. The animal life must be 
subject to the divine life ; the body must be subject to the soul ; 
and both body and soul subject to the will of God. We are 
already so greatly indebted to the Almighty, that we can never 
pay what we owe him; and seeing he requires so little of us, 
reason says, we ought to do what we can ; especially when we 
bear in mind, that all our good doings only increase our own 
good : and that in, not for, keeping His commands there is great 
reward : Ps. xix. 11. The higher you are raised above the world, 
the more you will be delighted with the joys of heaven. It is 
better to know little and do much, than to know much and do 
little : Matt. vii. 21. 



12 OF TEMPOKAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAL. 

1 ' The Lord is my Shepherd : I shall not want. " — Ps. xxiii. 1. 

SHEPHEBDS are those who have the care of flocks of sheep ; 
and who make it their business to direct them to a good 
pasture, lead them to wholesome water, gather them to a fold, at 
a proper time, and protect them from all harm. Jesus Christ is 
God's Shepherd, because his Father gave him his flock of men, 
who are called sheep ; and appointed him to die for, call, feed, and 
gather them : Ps. c. 3 ; Zech. xiii. 7 ; John x. 15. 

Although the Lord cares and provides for all, none but a be- 
liever can truly say, " The Lord is my Shepherd." Eeader, are 
you a real believer ? — if so, the Lord is your Shepherd ; and 
you have a right to call him such. It is your duty and privilege 
to encourage yourself in him : not only from the relation in which 
he stands to you, but also, from what you have already experi- 
enced of his goodness : Ps. cxxi. 2, 3. 

David here expresses, 1st. His present confidence ; " The Lord 
is my Shepherd ; w you may do the same ; for you have the same 
privilege, seeing he is the Shepherd of every particular believer ; 
not one escapes his notice ; no, not even the meanest of the flock 
will be neglected : Isa. xl. 11. He has them all in his fold, and 
performs well the part of a good shepherd : John x. 11. Unlike 
the hireling, he never leaves, but is constantly watching them : 
Ps. xxxiii. 18 ; and will suffer no one to harm them : 1 Chron. 
xvi. 21. 

All are well kept whom the Lord keeps : he not only provides 
food, but whatever will add to their comfort: Ps. lxxxiv. 11. 
This David knew from experience ; hence, 

2d. He declares his future hope : " I shall not want." Trust in 
the Lord at all times ; and depend upon it he will never suffer 
you to want any good thing : Ps. xxxiv. 10. You shall have food 
convenient, and raiment to put on ; and such a supply of all good 
things, as shall leave you no cause to complain the want of any. 
Bread is not always given to those who trust in themselves ; but 
verily all who trust in the Lord shall be fed : Ps. xxxvii. 3. If 
the Lord is so good a Shepherd, surely we ought to be guided by 
him, obey his voice, follow his steps, and, like harmless sheep, lie 
at his feet. 



OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAL. 13 

"He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall 
he not with him also freely give us all things. " — Rom. viii. 32. 

THIS is a question which unbelief will never be able to answer ; 
and ought to remove all doubts, and silence all objections. 
Here we have, 

1st. The firm foundation on which our hopes are built : " He," 
the Father of all our mercies, loved our race so well, that when 
we were under an arrest and condemned to die, " spared not his 
own Son" did not think him too precious a gift to bestow for our 
salvation: John iii. 16. We had all sinned and brought ruin 
upon ourselves, having violated God's holy law : Eom. v. 12. 
Stern Justice held us by the throat, while the broken Law 
thundered out its curses upon all : Gal. iii. 10 : and, lo ! when 
satisfaction was demanded, and we had nothing to give, the very 
God against whom we had sinned, and whose injured Law held 
us under a curse, spared not his own Son, " but delivered him up 
for us all" to be made a curse for us : Gal. iii. 13 ; that he might 
redeem us from the curse under which the Law held us. " Herein 
is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his 
Son to be the propitiation for our sins : " 1 John iv. 10. 

We may, therefore, reasonably and confidently expect, 

2d. That " with him he will freely give us all things" He has 
given his Son for us, and will give him to us : and with him also 
" freely" not grudgingly, nor sparingly, " give us all things," that 
he sees we really need : Phil. iv. 19. We have only to let In- 
finite wisdom determine what things we do need, and then depend 
upon having them. But we must not think of buying or barter- 
ing, in order to attain them : no ; we must be willing to receive 
them as a gift. The coin we use in this world is not current in 
the other : we must, therefore, go to God as petitioners, and not 
as purchasers. And now, 

3d. Put the question, "How shall he not ? " If when we were 
enemies to God by wicked works, he " spared not his own Son," 
would not forgive him one stroke, nor abate one farthing of the 
debt he had undertaken to pay for us, what may we not expect 
him to do for us now we are friends ? Col. i. 21. 



14 OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAL. 

" The desire of the righteous shall be granted. ' ' — Prov. x. 24. 

EVEEY real believer in Christ has a threefold righteousness : 
1st. He is righteous in his person, in Christ; having 
Christ's obedience and sufferings imputed to him : Isa. xlv. 24 ; 
Eom. iv. 6. 2d. His nature being renewed, assisted and directed, 
by the Spirit of God, he is righteous in his life ; but utterly dis- 
claims this, in the case of justification before God : Phil. iii. 9. 
He believes unto righteousness: Eom. x. 10; and therefore, 3d 
his faith is counted unto him for righteousness : Eom. iv. 3, 5, 9. 

Although the righteous frequently have their fears, their de- 
sire is towards God : and not according to their fears, but accord- 
ing to their faith, shall it be done unto them : Matt. ix. 29. It 
does not say, the appetites of the body shall be gratified, but the 
desire of the heart shall be granted. The desire of a heart re- 
newed by grace, is, to become like God ; to love him more, and 
serve him better ; and to please Him in every thought, word, and 
act : Ps. cxix. 97, 113. If we make God the delight of our heart, 
He will give us the desire of our heart : Ps. xxxvii. 4. While 
in this world we want but little, nor shall we want that little 
long ; but while we need it, God will give it : Ps. lxxxiv. 11. If 
we take God for our Leader, we are sure to have him for our 
Provider. We must take care to have the law of God in our 
hearts, and that will regulate the desire of our hearts. Whatever 
we desire and God withholds, we may rest assured that it would 
do us no good, could we obtain it, or the goodness of God would 
compel him to give it. 

No father loves his child any the less for withholding what 
he knows would injure it; neither does our heavenly Father 
evince a want of love to his children, by suffering them to cry 
loud, and long, and, after all, refuse to give what he well knows 
would harm them. But of this we may always rest assured, " The 
desire of the righteous shall be granted" in some way or other ; 
and in that way, too, which will be most to their advantage ; for 
when the Lord does not remove the burden from the back, he 
never fails to fit the back for the burden ; 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9, 



OF TEMPORAL BLESSINGS IN GENERAL. 15 

" Godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now 
is, and of that which is to come." — 1 Tim. iv. 8. 

FOE those who are under the law, it is very natural for them 
to think, that for so much work, they shall obtain so much 
wages : and that God will be faithful to his promise, if we per- 
form the required conditions. This is the result of pride ; which 
arises from ignorance of ourselves, and of the word of God's rich 
grace and free promises : 2 Cor. i. 20. Every believer in Jesus is 
a holy, godly soul, and has all cause for daily comfort and joy : 
1 Pet. i. 8. All who live godly have the gain of godliness while 
living : for, observe. 

1st. It is profitable ; and has, or having, the " promise of the 
life that now is : " there is nothing, which would be truly profi- 
table unto us, but godliness has the promise of. Under the 
Old Testament, the promises were mostly of temporal blessings ; 
but under the New Testament, of blessings spiritual, and eternal. 
It may be, that but little of this world's good things fall to your 
lot; but let this encourage you, that, though you may possess 
but a small portion in the " life that now is," you will, ere long, 
have no cause for complaint. 

2d. Godliness has the promise of the " life which is to come : " 
and the good things you will enjoy there, will fully compensate 
you for all your pains, trials, crosses, losses, and sufferings, that 
you may be called to endure, in " the life, that now is : " Eom. viii. 
28. You will find too, even now, if you will only take the trouble 
to balance the profit and loss, that you are a great gainer. For, 

3d. Godliness " is profitable unto all things : " and will, yea, 
does, more than make up for all you might be called to lose. 
Should you be disgraced among men, you are honored before 
God : 1 John iii. 2; denied in carnal pleasures, you enjoy spiritual 
ones : Ps. cxix. 165 ; and for losing a short, vain, uncertain, and 
sorrowful life upon earth, you will gain a durable, immortal, and 
most blessed life in heaven : 2 Cor. iv. 17. Having obtained an 
evidence of the favor of God, in Him you will find a rich, full, 
and ready supply of all your needs. The form of godliness alone, 
is profitable in nothing ; but " godliness " in power " is profitable 
unto all things" 



16 OF FOOD. 

"' Trust in the Lord and do good ; so shaft thou dwell In the land, and verily 
thou shaft be fed." — Ps. xxxvii. 3. 

THE whole of religion appears to consist in taking God at his 
word ; neither can any man be said to trust in God who does 
not obey him : 1 John v. 3. To " trust in the Lord.'" is. 

1st. Firmly to expect whatever he has promised in his word : 
Ps. lxii. 8 ; and to stay ourselves upon Him. being resolved to 
leave with him all future events : Isa. xxvi. 3. But, observe, 
2d. It is not enough that we trust in the Lord and do no harm : 
no : we must trust in Him and do good ; neither will it do to do 
good and then trust in our good doings ; nor in ourselves, nor 
anything that we can. or may do : but we are to trust in the 
Lord after having done all the good we can : Luke xvii. 10. And 
3d. It is only when we have done good, that we have a right to 
expect good : but then, we may confidently trust in the Lord for 
everything necessary to our well-being ; which will include food 
as well as every other good thing. It does not say. thou shalt be 
rich : but fed : neither does it say. thou shalt live in a palace, or 
be surrounded with a retinue of servants ; but thou "shalt dicell 
in the land:' And certain it is, if you trust in the Lord, you 
shall have a place to live in ; and be fed with food convenient for 
you : Isa. xxxiii. 16. 

All you have to do. is. to be careful to live right ; and then 
whatever comes must be right, as far as you are concerned: Eom. 
viii. 28. Should the winds of adversity blow hard upon your 
humble cot, and poverty with his iron grasp press you sore, still 
trust in the Lord, and continue to do good : resolve, rather to 
perish than to sin : be careful not to go out of the way of Provi- 
dence : dwell in the land: and, though dark may be your way. and 
your prospects gloomy, forget not. that it is still written, " Verily 
thou sha 7 t be fed:" yea. as truly as God hath declared it. He 
who fed you last, will feed you still. Be not ambitious ; nor 
covetous ; nor a lover of gain : but be careful of your walk ; 
watchful over your own conduct ; and, in all things, adorn your 
profession : lest Jesus be wounded in the house of his friends. 
The time of your extremity is God's opportunity : food he has 
promised, and that you shall have : Gen. xviii, 25. 



OF FOOD. 17 

"Behold the fowls of the air : for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor 
gather into barns ; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much 
better than they ? " — Matt. vi. 26. 

IN all times and seasons, and under every circumstance, there 
is something to be found in the words of Christ well suited 
to our state. His words are like a well-finished portrait; which, 
whoever looks upon conceives the eyes to be fixed upon him. Tn 
order to have your faith simple, and your hope steadily fixed 
upon God, you are here, 

1st. Invited to "Behold" look at, think upon, do see "the 
fowls" — they have no disquietude about what they shall eat. 
There are many fowls, and various sorts ; some are very ravenous 
in their nature ; notwithstanding, the God of Providence feeds 
them all, with food convenient for them : Ps. cxlvii. 9. It gives 
them no concern, in the fall of the year, how they are to be pro- 
vided for in the coming winter, still they are fed through the 
depth of winter ; as well as the height of summer. Will your 
heavenly Father, who is so mindful of his fowls, be unmindful 
of his children ? 

Observe, 2d. It is not said the fowls at the barn door ; but, 
the "fowls of the air :" — not the tame fowls which are daily fed 
by their owner ; but the wild fowls, that, without any care of their 
own, are constantly fed. " They sow not" neither do they trouble 
themselves to "gather into barns;" nor give themselves any con- 
cern about food, till hunger reminds them of their need, then they 
seek and find it. And while "your heavenly Father" feeds them, 
can you doubt of his feeding you ? Surely not ! And now, 

3d. Put the question to your own heart, "Are ye not much 
better than they?" Not that you have been no more ungrateful 
than ever the fowls were capable of being, but are ye not of 
much more value than many fowls ? Matt. x. 31. The fowls 
were made to serve you ; you were made to serve God ; and how 
can you serve him without trusting in him ? Endeavor to keep 
your soul alive by faith in the promises of God ; and your body 
shall be kept alive by the providence of God : Prov. x. 3. Some 
trust God while they have all things ; but do you strive to trust 
him for all things. "The righteous eateth to the satisfying of 
his soul:" Prov. xiii. 25, 



18 OF RAIMENT. 

"Behold, I have caused thine Iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe 
thee with change of raiment." — Zech. iii. 4. 

PLIXY informs us of a rod of myrtle, which, while a trav- 
eller carries it in his hand, will keep him from growing 
weary. Truly the word of God is like this myrtle rod; for it 
braces our nerves, supports our minds, strengthens our faith, 
resolves our doubts, smooths our rugged path, and beguiles our 
weary steps through this world to our native home. 

Your attention is called to a most gracious declaration and 
precious promise, "Behold!'' This word imports excitement: 
Isa. vii. 14; attention: John i. 29; joy: Matt. xxi. 5: certainty: 
Luke xxiv. 39; and, to behold, is to look on: Gen. xxxi. 51; con- 
sider: 1 Sam. xii. 13; know: John xix. 5; care for: John xix. 
26, 27. "Behold," 

1st. God has forgiven all thy sins, notwithstanding their mag- 
nitude and number; and "caused thine iniquity to pass from 
thee;" never more to appear against thee. Do you ask, is it 
possible ? yea, it is not only possible but certain ! for when the 
Lord forgives, he forgives all: and enables us to put off our 
filthy rags of corrupt affections and lusts, as we would cast off 
old clothes for which we have no further use ; being washed by 
faith, in the blood of Christ : Eev. i. 5, 6 : And, 

2d. "A change of raiment'' is also given. By faith we receive, 
and are clothed with, the righteousness of Christ, which is not 
only given, but imparted to us. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ : 
Eom. xiii. 14. Clothed with this change of raiment, you can 
appear in the court of heaven, as though you had never sinned ; 
and ask and have whatever you need, with a full expectation of 
obtaining it : John xiv. 13, 14. 

Having obtained a change of raiment for the soul, you may 
confidently expect one for the body. If your heavenly Father 
has clothed the inner man, you need not think the outer man 
will have to go naked : Matt vi. 32. Some people examine their 
clothes much, and their hearts little : and are often crying for 
better clothes, when they ought to be praying for better hearts : 
2 Cor. xiii. 5. Many who wear a fine outside, have a filthy 
inside : Luke xi. 39. A naked soul is far worse, and more to be 
dreaded, than a naked body. 



OF RAIMENT. 19 

"If God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day Is, and to-morrow Is 
cast Into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, ye of little faith ?" — 

Matt. vi. 30. 

THE best of men are but grass at best, whatever might be 
their endowments : and the grave, as an oven, will shortly 
consume them all : 1 Pet. i. 24. And that is a grand reason why 
we should take no distressing thought what we shall wear on the 
morrow ; for to-morrow the shroud, coffin, and grave, may be all 
that we shall need : Prov. xxvii. 1. The grass cares not for to- 
morrow ; it toils not as we do : and yet it is clothed. Neither do 
the lilies spin; notwithstanding, Solomon's clothing could not 
equal theirs. It does not follow that we are to be idle, and not 
make use of all lawful means, but the contrary : 2 Thess. iii. 10. 
But after having made use of every effort to procure those things 
we need, we should leave the event with God ; trusting in, and 
relying upon him ; resting assured, that he who provides for his 
inferior creatures, without labor, will not fail to crown our labors 
with his blessing, and provide for us. There are many who pay 
all attention to the body, and no attention to the soul ; but do 
you pay attention to both, and to the soul most : Matt. vi. 33. 
Clothing was first made to hide our shame, though many make it 
all their glory : Ps. xlix. 14. Your clothes may be worn thin ; 
still, you may be worn out before your clothes. Let it, therefore, 
give you no concern where your next suit is to come from : for 
surely, He who clothes the grass will clothe you. 

" ye of little faith" give your fears to the wind ; let it suffice 
that your heavenly Father knoweth you have need of these 
things. Let not carnal reason exalt itself against the grace and 
truth of God. Unbelief is an enemy to your Lord's love and 
truth. Live no longer in yourself, but in Christ ; be happy in 
him, and comfortable in following him: Gal. ii. 20. "Shall he 
not?" Can he not? Will he not ? Yes, He will; "much more 
clothe you" than the grass, which either grows unnoticed, is food 
for beasts, or fuel for the oven. How can you be poor, while in 
the possession of so many precious jewels, as you have in Christ ? 
Fine clothes may hide the shame of the body, but can never cover 
the shame of the soul. When you need raiment, ask God : Gen. 
xxviii. 20. 



20 OF LONG LIFE. 

11 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like a shock of corn cometh in 
his season." — Job v. 25. 

IT is appointed unto men once to die : Heb. ix. 27 ; but when, 
where, and how, is known only to God, in whom we live : 
Acts xvii. 28 ; and though we cannot lengthen our days, we may 
greatly shorten them : Ps. lv. 23 ; notwithstanding the number of 
them is set, so that beyond that bound we cannot pass : Job xiv. 
14. However, that should give us but little concern, seeing we 
are assured by Him who gives us breath, that every believer shall 
die seasonably : be no longer in bondage through fear of death ; 
for thou mayest depend, 

1st. Upon not being driven away, as is the case with the 
wicked: Prov. xiv. 32; but "thou shalt come to thy grave" as one 
who is not only willing, but waiting his Master's call, fearing no 
evil : Ps. xxiii. 4. Bear in mind, 

2d. Though you may not live to old age, the promise is, " Thou 
shalt come to thy grave in full age." You shall live till your 
work is done ; and then, being willing to die, you will be con- 
ducted to your grave in peace, and pass safely through it. That 
you will die seasonably, and not prematurely, admits of no doubt ; 
for you will come to your grave " like a shock of corn" You 
know the corn is not cut and housed before it is fully ripe ; 
neither shall death cut you down, nor your body be housed in the 
grave, until you are ripe for death and glory ; as the corn, when 
cut, is ripe for the sickle and barn. Our times are in the hand of 
God, who is the great husbandman, and who is continually watch- 
ing our growth in grace, and will not cut us down till he sees we 
are ready, but will not suffer us to remain longer. 

You will live long enough to finish your work that God has for 
you to do ; and then, like happy Paul, you will want to be off to 
your reward : 2 Tim. iv. 6-8. While you do live, live to good 
purpose ; strive to live holy ; and, unto the world, die daily ; and, 
while you have life, love Christ more than life. Look unto the 
Lord, and wait continually upon the God of your salvation : be- 
lieve him, honor him, obey him, and " thou shalt come to thy 
grave in full age, like a shock of corn ; " ripe and rank, ready for 
the garner of God. 



OF LONG LIFE. 21 

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing ? and one of them shall not fall 
on the ground without your Father." — Matt. x. 29. 

WHO can describe the wild emotion of conscience, and the 
distress of a soul, under a feeling sense of sin and death? 
None can, but the heart which knows its own bitterness. Neither 
can any tongue express the sweet peace, and calm repose, of that 
soul who rests in Jesus ; for a stranger intermeddles not with 
its joys. 

We are told of some, who, through fear of death were all their 
lifetime subject to bondage : Heb. ii. 15. But a believer in Christ 
ought ever to remember, that Jesus, who has the keys of death, 
commands him not to fear : Eev. i. 17, 18. Neither can he fear 
while he has his eye of faith upon the promise of God : Ps. xxiii. 
4. Observe, 

1st. The vast difference between the value of a sparrow and a 
believer. The former were sold "two for a farthing ;" (less than 
a cent apiece) and the latter was bought with the precious blood 
of Christ : 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. 

2d. The notice that is taken of sparrows : " One of them shall 
not fall on the ground" either to take up its food, or by death, 
" without your Father." If, then, your Father is so mindful of his 
birds, can you suppose him less mindful of his children ? 

Your enemies, like fowlers, may endeavor to ensnare or hurl 
their envenomed darts at you, but "your Father" will preserve 
you, while he sees it will be for your good and his glory ; there- 
fore, be not afraid of death, nor covet life, since both are yours : 
1 Cor. iii. 22. A long life is good, but a good life is better; and 
you have the promise of every good thing : Ps. lxxxiv. 11. Live 
every day as though it were your dying day ; and you will have 
no cause to complain of- the want of days : Deut. v. 33. While 
you have life prepare for death. Improve all the time you have, 
and when you come to die you will find you have lived long 
enough : Phil. iii. 21. While you are on the earth, lay up treas- 
ure in heaven: Matt. vi. 19-21. Labor to be in your life what 
you would wish to be in death. While your Father cares for 
you, what can harm you? 1 Pet. iii. 13. None but a father 
knows a father's love : and your heavenly Father's love knows 
no bounds : Jer. xxxi. 3. 



22 OF SAFETY. 

" The Lord is thy keeper : the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand." — 
Ps. cxxi. 5. 

THE most delightful object to a spiritual eye, the most com- 
forting subject to a spiritual niind, is " God in Christ, recon- 
ciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto 
them : " 2 Cor. v. 19. The hills afford us a pleasing idea of our 
blessed Saviour : As they are elevated parts of the same earth 
with the lowest valley; so Jesus "was found in fashion as a 
man ; took on him the same nature, and was in all things like 
unto his brethren, sin alone excepted:" Phil. ii. 8; Heb. iv. 15. 
Truly they are well kept whom the Lord keeps. He who keeps 
the Church is the keeper of every individual member. Art thou 
a believer in Jesus ? — If so, 

1st. " The Lord is thy keeper; " and as a life-guard would en- 
camp around a prince, to protect his royal person, so the angel 
of the Lord encampeth round about thee : Ps. xxxiv. 7. What is 
it, or who is it, can harm thee ? His angel guards thee, and He 
himself keeps thee : Ps. xci. 1-11. What more canst thou need? 
He is a good Shepherd, and thou canst never have a better keeper, 
and he has engaged to keep thee safely : John x. 28. Thou 
mayest meet with storms to toss thee, but wilt never meet with 
a rock to split thee, while under the protection of so good a 
keeper. But that is not all ; for, 

2d. " The Lord is thy shade" Fear not, then, the threatening 
storms; let the lightning flash, the thunders roar, the tempest 
howl, and storms beset thee ; beneath this shade thou art secure : 
Deut. xxxiii. 12. The cloud of his protecting love is ever over 
thee ; the sickly rays of the sun cannot smite thee ; neither can 
earth and hell, with their united forces, harm thee. For, 

3d. The Lord is upon "thy right hand." And though thou 
mayest have no power, Christ, thy best friend, has all power : 
Matt, xxviii. 18. And even if thou shouldst lose thy life for 
Christ, thou wilt find a better life in Christ : Col. iii. 4. 

What hast thou to fear ? What canst thou fear, while thou 
hast so good a keeper, so kind a friend, and blest with such a 
shade, always " on thy right ? " Away with your fears. Dread 
nothing but sin. If you would not be burnt by the sun, be careful to 
walk in the shade, and set the Lord always before you : Ps. xvi. 8. 



OF SAFETY. 23 

"Fear not: I am the first and the last: I am he thatliveth, and was dead : 
and behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen : and have the keys of hell and of 
death." — "Rev. I 17,18. 

THE faithful believer in Jesus is truly blessed; blessed in 
him with all spiritual blessings ; and enjoys a sweet sense 
of blessedness in obeying him : Eph. i. 3. Notwithstanding, you 
may be sometimes sorrowful even unto tears ; but should always 
bear in mind, that nothing can befall you but what is for your 
good : Eom. viii. 28. Our heavenly Father is so kind, he only 
gives correction when we deserve destruction : Lam. iii. 22. He 
never leaves his children for a single moment ; and even when 
death stares them in the face he will command away their fears, 
by whispering to their hearts, " Fear not I " And while he thus 
encourages them to keep up their spirits, he assigns the best of 
reasons why they should not fear any danger that may threaten 
them. 

1st. "I am" says Christ, "the first and the last;" the first- 
born of every creature, and the first begotten from the dead : Col. 
i. 15-18 : none were before me 5 neither shall any come after me : 
Prov. viii. 22-36. Thus he makes himself known as their Lord. 

2d. He is their Saviour; and declares, "I was dead; " it is true 
I had to submit unto death for a time ; but then, he could not 
hold me ; I conquered the king of terrors in his own territories ; 
I broke his icy chain, soon as I would ; and, " behold, I am alive 
forevermore : " Luke xxiv. 38, 39. Never more shall death have 
dominion over me ; but in the end I will destroy him : 1 Cor. xv. 
26. Think not that no one cares for thy safety, or that thy suf- 
ferings are unnoticed ; for " I am the Amen," the faithful and the 
true witness of all to which thou art exposed, as well as all thou 
art called to endure : Eev. iii. 14. 

3d. Be not afraid of any one taking thy life, or sending thee 
out of the world without my consent, for " I have the keys of hell 
and of death; " and it is impossible for any one to pass from time 
to eternity without my notice : Eev. v. 12, 13. 

Believer, think not that you can die by chance, while the keys 
of the invisible world hang to the girdle of your Saviour. " Our 
help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth : n 
Ps. cxxiv. 8. 



24 OF SAFETY. 

"For I, saith the Lord, will be unto her a waif of fire round about, and will 
be the glory in the midst of her." — Zech. ii. 5. 

QIAY, soldier of Christ, has thy captain ever deceived thee ? Did 
kJ he not tell thee, before enlisting under his banner, who were 
his enemies, and what thou hadst to expect from them ? Almost 
every page of his word furnishes accounts how the men of this 
world look upon the children of God. But no matter who, or 
what, opposes them, the Lord is resolved to protect them. God's 
peculiar people are, in themselves, a weak people ; and the world 
hates the cause in which they are engaged, and consequently 
hates them: John xv. 19. But, for their safety the Lord has 
engaged to be, 

1st. " A wall unto them; " and such a wall too as their enemies 
shall not be able either to batter or scale ; " a wall of fire" that 
an enemy cannot possibly approach : Prov. iii. 23, 24. Observe, 
2d. He will not be a wall on one side only, but "round about;" 
so that, there being no breach, it is impossible for an enemy to 
injure them : Prov. i. 33. And 3d. The Lord will not enclose 
them and then leave them, like forlorn prisoners ; for He himself 
will be the wall, and will have u his glory in the midst of her " 

As the eastern shepherds were accustomed to collect their 
flocks .at night, and make a fire round about them, to preserve 
them from beasts of prey, which would not venture through the 
fire, being afraid of it, so the Lord is like a circle of fire drawn 
round about all believers ; so that all who serve God may be truly 
said to live in God : 1 John iv. 16 ; and have the glory of God in 
the midst of them. If God gives glory to us, let us be careful to 
give glory to God : 1 Cor. x. 31 ; and ever bear in mind, that the 
vessels of grace will swim in the ocean of glory. We must be 
purified by Christ, before we can be glorified with Christ. Fear 
not, then, trembling believer, for greater is he that is for you, 
than all who can be against you: Bom. viii. 31. Should the 
hand of God happen to be against you, never think that his heart 
is against you ; for whom he loves he chastens, in one way or 
other : Heb. xii. 6. Sin not ; and fear not. Be not afraid of 
sinking in sorrow while you are swimming in grace. " There 
shall not a hair of your head perish : " Luke xxi. 18. 



OF SAFETY. 25 

" Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such 
things as ye have ; for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." 
— Heb. xiii. 5. 

COVETOUSNESS is a sin that may lie long concealed in our 
bosoms ; but unless it be subdued will find way into our 
conversation and actions : let us, then, never rest with such an 
enemy ; for, like a cankerworm, it will eat away all our happiness, 
and bring a disgrace on that cause we profess to espouse : Prov. 
xxviii. 16. Should you have such an enemy lurking about you, 
you are exhorted to put it away : that, 

1st. Your " conversation " might be " without covetousness." 
2d. Consider how many good things of this life you have, more 
than you really deserve, at the hand of God, whose holy laws 
you have broken : Gal. iii. 10. And, 3d. What spiritual things 
you have. You have the everlasting, unchangeable love of God 
fixed upon you — the life, death, and intercession of the Son of 
God for your wisdom, righteousness, sanctiflcation and redemp- 
tion : 1 Cor. i. 30 ; and, as a consequence of this, the Spirit has 
bestowed graces upon you ; hence you have faith in Christ — 
hope towards God — love to him — delight in him — and a desire 
to keep his commandments : Ps. cxix. 97 ; and to encourage and 
enable you to walk holily, the precious promises are given you as 
the staff of your faith : Eom. xv. 4. What more can you desire 
than these ? 4th. Strive to " be content with such things as ye 
have;" be thankful with what you have, and willing to want 
what he is not willing to give ; "For he hath said" — Who hath 
said ? — God, who cannot lie, and who will never deceive thee, — 
" I will never leave thee : " Joshua i. 5 : let thy condition be what 
it may ; in sickness and in health, in poverty and in riches, at 
home and abroad, in honor and reproach, by land and by sea, in 
life and in death, I will be with thee to bless thee, and strengthen 
thee, and uphold thee. And, 5th. Though all the world should 
turn their back upon thee, " I will not forsake thee:" Dent. iv. 31. 
Is not all this enough to make you content ? Can you any 
longer doubt of his protecting love? — What could a God of 
Love say or do, more than he has already said and done ? Isa. v. 
4. Covetousness is a great enemy to all godliness ; Col. iii. 5, 



26 OF PEACE. 

"Great peace have they which love thy law ; and nothing shall offend them. " 
— Ps. cxix. 165. 

THE law. the moral law. worketh wrath. : Rom. iv. 15 ; for by 
it is the knowledge of sin. Have not all believers experi- 
enced a sense of wrath in the conscience; when the law lias dis- 
covered unto them their sins ? But this law is subservient to 
the law of love. Jesus, of whom the ceremonial law was a 
shadow, and by whose holy life the moral law received perfect 
obedience to all its requirements, was the " seed of the woman/*' 
in whom the law of peace and salvation entered. The law of life 
and salvation is " sure to all the seed : w Eom. iv. 16. Hence all 
believers delight in. and have great peace from it ; for having 
made the law of God their rule, they strive in all things to be 
ruled by it : Ps. i. 2, while a consciousness of having done what 
the word or lav: of God requires, produces that inward peace and 
serenity of soul, to which the transgressors are strangers. 

Observe. 1st. It does not say. they shall have peace ; but, 
••' Great peace have they which love thy law ; M so that they do not 
have peace for loving the law of God; but in the act of loving 
it; it is in keeping the commands they have the reward: Ps. 
xix. 11. It is true, they may have great troubles without but 
they have '-great peace'' within. They have also, 2d. Great se- 
curity; for" nothing shall offend them.'' ZSTo one shall entangle 
them ; and no temptation shall be too powerful for them : 1 Cor. 
x. 13. Nothing shall, nothing can. do them any real harm ; for 
while God is good to all. he is truly good to Israel : Ps. lxxiii. 1. 
'Whatever befalls them must be for the best : Eom. viii. 28. 
Grace in the heart will create more peace than gold in the pocket. 
Riches may make a man haughty, but religion will make a man 
happy. And, 3d. The law of God is the will of God, and, though 
a Christian has a will of his own, he must never expect peace in 
loving his own will; no ; it is said •'• thy law/*' and not our law : 
Matt. vi. 10. There are many who know the law of God, but 
very few who love the law of God ; but those who love not the 
law are very soon offended if they are told so ; while every wind 
that blows ruffles them ; so that they have no peace : Isa. lvii. 21. 
Many mistake hearing, or reading the law, for doing it. 



OF PEACE. 27 

" These things have I spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace." — 
John xvi. 33. 

HEIST'S legacy to all his brethren, is, "tribulation in the 
world, and peace in him." Every follower of Jesus is sure 
of the former, and no less certain of the latter. If he has to 
suffer for Christ, he has peace in him. Observe, 

1st. Among the "things spoken" of by Christ, while in the 
world, you may expect tribulations from the world ; neither must 
you be surprised if your heaviest troubles should happen to come 
from the church ; for it may be, that some might think they 
would be doing the Lord a service by killing you ; but all such 
have no peace in Jesus : John xvi. 1, 2. 

2d. The reason why Christ has " spoken these things." Not to 
discourage you, or keep you in constant fear; no; but to wean 
you from the world, put you on your guard, and encourage you to 
hope in him ; " that in him ye might have peace" Having made 
peace with the Prince of peace, you have peace with God ; peace 
with conscience ; peace with men ; peace within, and peace with- 
out ; and an endless peace awaits you in heaven : Ps. xxxvii. 37. 
If you have peace with God, the world, the flesh and the devil 
can never harm you; for though you may have many enemies, 
you have one friend stronger than all. Christ your Saviour is 
not only a peace-bringer, but also a peace-maker ; and has made 
peace between your soul and God : Eom. v. 1. The only path he 
requires you to walk in is peace : Prov. iii. 17. His Gospel is 
peace : Eph. vi. 15. His reward is peace : Isa. lvii. 2. So that, 
you perceive, it is in Christ, and through him alone, that we have 
peace, " These things," says he, " I have spoken unto you:" I 
have told you of them before they come to pass, so, that you 
need expect no favors from the world. I have now apprised you 
of them, " that in me ye might have peace." 

We are too apt to judge of God's love to us by his providences, 
instead of his promises ; and forget that tribulation in the world 
is as necessary for the soul as peace in Jesus; or our loving 
Saviour would never have appointed it for us. The valley of 
tribulation is no deeper, than the mountain of peace is high. 
" He maketh peace in thy borders : " Ps. cxlvii. 11, 



28 OF HONOR. 

"By humility and the fear of the Lord, are riches, and honor, and life." — 
Prov. xxii. 4. 

OF the vast multitude who are contending for honor, but few 
seek it in that way in which alone it can be found. Observe, 

1st. The only way to become truly honorable is to become truly 
humble. " Humility " makes men like angels ; but the want of it 
made angels devils. Whenever you would rise highest, be sure 
you sink lowest : Luke xiv. 11. A believer in Christ is like a 
ship on the ocean, the greater the cargo, the deeper it swims. The 
best of saints are the least of saints : Eph. iii. 8. 

2d. Humility leads to "the fear of the Lord;" which is here 
put for the whole of religion ; and these two together are " riches 
and honor." The only way to be honored by God, is to be 
humble before Him : Matt, xviii. 4. While you are humble in 
the sight of the Lord, you will always be honored with the 
presence of the Lord ; for though he reigns in the highest 
heavens, he also dwells with the humble spirit : Isa. lvii. 15. 
All the honor that comes from men dies with men ; but the honor 
that comes from God will last forever : Ps. cxii. 6. 

3d. As honor would be of no use to the dead, you shall have 
"life" that j^ou might enjoy your honor. The Lord will give you 
long life, if he sees it needful for you ; but if not, as your "riches 
and honor" are eternal, you shall have eternal life to enjoy them 
in : John x. 28. Ever bear in mind, the way to the holy hill lies 
through the humble vale. When the Christian is one inch above 
the dust he is one inch too high. Elesh is proud, and apt to 
glory in the presence of the Lord ; but faith in Jesus cuts off all 
glorying in the flesh, as viewing all our salvation in Jesus alone. 
Yet, while in the flesh, we are daily exposed to the workings of 
pride, which invariably darken our views of the Eedeemer. The 
conceptions of lusts are the productions of sin : Jas. i. 15. How 
much to be deplored, how carefully to be watched against, and 
prayed to be kept from, are the awful effects of fresh contracted 
guilt! Pride goes before shame; but "by humility and the fear 
of the Lord, are riches, honor, and life" It is honorable to 
confess sin; but a shame to commit it. "The memory of the 
just is blessed : " Prov. x. 7. 



OF HONOR. 29 

" If any man serve me, let him follow me, and where I am there shall also 
my servant be ; if any man serve me, him will my Father honor. ' ' — John xii. 26. 

IT is one thing to profess Christ, but another to serve Him. 
1st. The servants of Christ "follow him;" thereby proving 
that spiritual actions are the marks of spiritual Christians : Matt. 
vii. 16. All who serve Christ must follow him in all his com- 
mandments : John xv. 14 ; methods and precepts : Matt. xi. 29. 
He must be followed in his example, as a pattern; and in his 
Providence and Spirit, whithersoever he leads. 2d. The servants 
of Christ must be always in waiting; "where I am, there shall 
also my servant be;" in the church, in the assemblies of his 
saints, and whenever his ordinances are administered, wherever 
it may be, they must ever be ready to obey all his commands : 
Matt, xviii. 20. 3d. Christ has not only appointed the work, but 
fixed the wages; "If any man serve me, him will my Father 
honor;" and not with such honor as they deserve, but such as 
becomes a God to give : 1 Sam. ii. 30. It shall be true honor, 
well worthy that name ; yea, everlasting honor : Isa. xxxv. 10 ; 
the highest honor that can be given : Eev. i. 6. Only serve the 
Son, and notwithstanding your weakness, and inability to per- 
form your work so well as it ought to be, or, as you may desire, 
your labors will not be rejected, nor your services forgotten. 
4th. "If any man serve me; " no matter who he is, or what he is, 
if he does all he can, no more is required ; "him will my Father 
honor." For there is no respect of persons with God: Bom. 
ii. 11. 

Some who think themselves the servants of Christ, and expect 
to be honored by the Father, are very fond of the promises, but 
despise the duties ; others there are who love holy sayings and 
unholy doings; forgetting that good words, without good works, 
will never turn to a good account : Matt. vii. 21. If we would 
wear Christ's crown, we must bear Christ's cross: Matt. xvi. 24. 
To be patient, and continue in well-doing, is the high-road to 
honor, immortality, and eternal life : Bom. ii. 7. A saint in rags 
is more honorable than a sinner in robes. 



30 OF DIRECTION. 

"He will be our guide even unto death." — Ps. xlviii. 14. 

IF the Lord be our God, there is no question about his being 
our Guide; and it is our special mercy we do not serve an 
unknown God; he has manifested himself to us; is known by 
us ; and we have his Spirit within us : Eom. viii. 16. Here is, 

1st. The joyful assurance of faith: "He will be our Guide:" 
he will not only show us the way, but put us in it. There is no 
part of our way but he is perfectly acquainted with ; and all the 
way we should go he has marked out for us : Ps. i. 6. Who, 
then, can be so well qualified to guide us ? Perhaps you are 
ready to say, my path is so crooked, dark, and intricate, that I 
fear I shall never get safely through it. Let that never trouble 
you ; leave that to your guide ; that is his business ; he has en- 
gaged to guide you, and must do it. All you have to do, is, to 
be guided by him ; go by his directions ; and when it comes to 
the darkest, so that you have no light, then hang upon his arm ; 
trust in him, and stay yourself altogether upon him : Isa. 1. 10. 
0, tremendous thought ! if God were ever to cease to be our 
Guide, we should stumble and fall into remediless ruin; but such 
a thought can only be produced by ignorance and unbelief; and 
tends to presumption, thinking we can do something to cause the 
Almighty to become our God and Guide ; and if we fail, he will 
leave us to grope our own way into the bottomless pit. Such is 
not the language of Scripture ; no ; for both say, 

2d. "He vrill be our guide even unto death ;" and that will be 
the end of our journey ; yea, and he will not only guide us to 
death, but through death : Ps. xxiii. 4. He will guide us to death, 
and lead us through death ; so that death shall not be able to do 
us any real injury : Ps. lxxiii. 24. 

Perplex yourself no longer ; commit your way unto the Lord, 
and he shall bring it to pass : Ps. xxxvii. 5. There is no dark- 
ness, no difficulty, with God; and he is engaged, by all he has 
and is, for your security. The gloomy night of life will soon be 
past, and the glorious morning of eternity will break in upon 
your soul, when all your difficulties will have forever vanished. 
Bear in mind, there are no ifs, huts, and may-bes about it. He 
will make darkness light before you : Isa. xlii. 16. 



OF DIRECTION. 31 

" If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liber- 
ally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. " — James i. 5. 

THE revealed truths of God, and not his ► secret purposes, are 
the objects of our faith. Happy art thou, Christian! 
even should your case be as was Paul's, when neither sun nor 
stars appeared for many days, and when no small tempest is upon 
thee, and all hope of being saved seems taken away : Acts xxvii. 
20. For in every storm you have Jesus at the helm ; who well 
knows how to take thy vessel into port ; though you may be 
ignorant and unacquainted with the coast. All men are ignorant, 
but none more so than ourselves ; and while fools profess great 
wisdom, let you and I confess our want of wisdom. Here we 
have, 

1st. A view of God's liberality: "If any of you" without re- 
gard to age, condition, or acquirements, " lack wisdom" and are 
sensible of your lack, "let Mm" without any scruple or delay, 
"ask of God" to supply that lack; who is infinite in wisdom and 
has an abundance to give : Bom. xi. 33. 

2d. The encouragement given to ask: He "giveth to cdl men;" 
and will, therefore, give it to us, so sure as we ask it. Be not 
bashful ; the only way to become wise, in God's sight, is first to 
become fools in our own. Make no excuse about your wanting 
so great a stock, in consequence of your being so very ignorant. 
But remember, 

3d. He giveth to all men "liberally ;" plentifully; and cheer- 
fully ; yea, you shall have as much as you need. Do not think 
either, that you will not be so successful as others have been. 

4th. The matter is put beyond dispute; "It shall be given;" 
there is but one if in the whole matter ; and that is, " If you 
lack ; " you have no room to doubt of obtaining all the informa- 
tion you can require; "it shall be given." Do not be afraid 
either of going at a wrong time, or, of your ignorance confound- 
ing you and exposing your folly. For, 

5th. He "upbraideth not" Go when you may, you cannot go 
out of season; &sk as often as you will, you will never be up- 
braided on account of being troublesome ; but will receive a lib- 
eral supply. 



32 OF PLENTY. 

"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth 
his fruit in his season ; his leaf also shall not wither ; and whatsoever he doeth 
shall prosper/' — Vs. i. 3. 

WHAT a beautiful gradation is here ! 1st. " He shall be like 
a tree;" not a shrub, or bramble, that is of little or no 
service ; but a tree ; grafted into Christ the tree of life : Isa. lxi. 
3. Not like a tree that grows wild and unnoticed in the forest. 
But, 2d. "Like a tree planted;" removed out of its natural and 
unprotected situation, into one much more favorable to its growth ; 
planted by the grace of God. 3d. Mark his situation ! Not in 
the burning desert ; nor by the side of a brook, that in the time 
of drought would soon run dry ; nor on the bleaky beach, where 
the angry waves would continually cover it with their spray ; but 
"by the rivers of water;" where it shall always find sufficient 
moisture to support its growth: Ps. civ. 16. Observe, 4th. It 
is not a tree for fuel, but for fruit ; neither is it a barren tree : 
but a fruit-tree; and one that "bringeth forth his fruit:" Deut. 
xxx. 9. God will not suffer barren trees to remain always in his 
garden : Luke xiii. 7. Notice, 5th. It does not say, he brings 
forth fruit always alike, either in quantity or quality ; no, but 
" in his season" Neither does it say, it is not to be exposed to 
storms, tempests, nor dark nights ; nor that it shall have no 
enemies who will endeavor to steal the fruit, or injure the tree ; 
no ; but none of these things shall prevent it from bringing forth 
fruit in its season : Ps. xcii. 12. The leaves of the trees in the 
forest do fade and fall: But, 6th. "His leaf shall not wither;" 
his profession shall be preserved from, decay ; while those who 
bring forth the leaf of profession, without any good fruit, even 
that leaf shall wither; and they shall become ashamed of the 
leaves they have worn. The word of the Lord in the heart will 
keep the profession green. He is an evergreen, always flourish- 
ing: Deut. xi. 14, 15. And, 7th. "Whatsoever he doeth shall 
prosper; " so that, whatever befalls him, all tends to promote his 
growth. It does not say, if he is a farmer he shall always have 
an abundant harvest ; nor, if a merchant, all gain and no loss ; 
nor if a tradesman, no disappointment ; no, but " whatever he 
doeth" all shall work for his good : Rom. viii. 28. Yea, all 
things now work well for such an one. 



OF PLENTY. 33 

"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness ; and all these 
things shall be added unto you." — Matt. vi. 33. 

THEKE are many who make religion their by-business ; but 
do you make it your main-business ; and then you will find 
it a profitable business : 1 Tim. iv. 8. Here we have, 

1st. The course of life enjoined ; " Seek ye first the kingdom of 
God; " endeavor to submit to the mild sceptre of Christ, and 
secure the erection of his kingdom in your heart ; or, be subject 
to Jesus : Luke xvii. 21. But, in order to secure the kingdom 
of God, we must seek "his righteousness;" make ourselves 
acquainted with his method of making men righteous : Acts xiii. 
39. And if we would seek the kingdom and righteousness of God 
successfully, we must seek it "first" Let your work above be 
first done, that your work below might be well done. Seek it 
first every day, and as sure as you seek it you shall find it : Matt, 
vii. 7. Let holiness be your way, and heaven will be your end. 

2d. We have the promise annexed to the observance of the 
injunction: "All these things shall be added unto you" Having 
secured the first two things, all these things shall be given you 
into the bargain. Do you ask what things ? The answer is, all 
good things : Ps. xxxiv. 10. " All these things " necessary for 
the support of the body, whatever you really need, "shall be 
added unto you : " Phil. iv. 19. There can be no room to doubt 
of this, since the Saviour has declared they shall be added. 

Be careful to seek holiness, and you are sure to find happiness. 
Religion is the one thing needful ; make sure of that one thing, 
and that will secure to you all needful things : Luke x. 42. He 
who has enough has plenty. He who possesses Christ has all 
things in Christ : 1 Cor. iii. 21-23. You have nothing to dread 
from poverty in pocket while you are poor in spirit : Matt. v. 3. 
What further security can you ask, or desire, beyond eternal 
veracity ? While Christ is yours, what have you to fear ? What 
can you fear ? Troubles you will have ; and scarcity of some 
things you may have ; but be careful to seek first God's kingdom 
and righteousness ; and you shall have plenty of needful things 
added. Say, is not that enough ? 



34 OF A BLESSING UPON ALL THAT A GOOD MAN HAS. 

"And he shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and 
thy water. ' ' — Exod. xxiii. 25. 

EXHORTATIONS sound so legal in the ears of some, that 
they cannot bear them to be used, either to saints or sinners ; 
but they have most need of them who sea the least cause for 
them. Here we have, 

1st. A duty enjoined: " Ye shall serve the Lord your God;'' 
but it shall not be for naught. The true and proper foundation of 
the service of God, should be laid in a knowledge of him — recon- 
ciliation with him — and a deliverance from all other masters: 
1 Chron. xxviii. 9. To serve God is reasonable — advantageous 
— and necessary. Serve God and depend upon his serving you ; 
serve him faithfully, with your whole heart, and he will give you 
the desire of your heart : Ps. xxxvii. 4. God in Christ is your 
Father ; you may, therefore, expect his service will be easy ; yea, 
perfect freedom: Gal. v. 1. There are those who wear God's 
livery and do the devil's drudgery ; but all such have no lawful 
claim to the promises of God. 

2d. We have a precious promise annexed : " He shcdl bless thy 
bread and thy icater." The Lord has not only promised you bread 
and water, but a blessing also ; and what more can you desire ? 
Prov. x. 22. Bread and water, with the blessing of God, will 
make you look fatter and fairer than the wicked who may eat at 
the king's table : Dan. i. 15. Christ and a crust are greater 
riches, than great treasures without Christ : Matt. xvi. 26. The 
Lord will not only bless "your bread, and your water," but all 
that you have : Deut. xxviii. 3-6 ; and enable you to rejoice in 
all the good things he gives you : Deut. xxvi. 11. Some masters 
give their servants but few things, and those very sparingly ; but 
God gives to those who serve him all things richly : 1 Tim. vi. 17. 

Our necessary dependence upon the goodness of God should 
bring us to obedience; and deter us from offending our-Protector 
and Benefactor. " Ye shall serve the Lord your God," is the 
precept of our best friend; who has a just claim to all our 
services ; and for a worm of the earth to scornfully turn away, 
and, by his actions, say, " I will not ! " is the deepest of ingrati- 
tude. Do you bless God, and depend upon his blessing you. 



OF A BLESSING UPON ALL THAT A GOOD MAN HAS. 35 

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. " — Matt. v. 5. 

THIS precious jewel, or promise, is a quotation from Ps. xxxvii. 
11 ; and appears to be one of the most direct temporal 
promises we have in the New Testament. Moses was a meek 
man ; he possessed a temper of mind humble and submissive to 
the will of God, and not easily provoked by injuries : Numb. xii. 
3; but Jesus Christ, being infinitely more so, must be our pattern: 
Matt. xi. 29. Observe, 

1st. "Blessed are" not shall be, "the meek;" that is, happy 
are the meek. They are those who believe that whatever befalls 
them is for the best: Eom. viii. 28. They, therefore, quietly 
submit to the will, word, and rod, of their heavenly Father : Luke 
xxi. 19 ; and are mild and kind toward all men. They possess 
themselves ; are governors of all their passions ; imitate their 
Saviour ; and would rather die than sin : Gen. xxxix. 9. They 
not only are in possession of themselves, but, 

2d. " They shall inherit the earth" It does not say they shall 
have much of the earth; but "inherit" it. They shall have a 
peaceable and quiet possession in it ; it shall be to them a land of 
Canaan; which was typical of that rest which they enjoy: Heb. 
iv. 9 ; Deut. xxvi. 11. Neither shall their inheritance below be 
any the less for their laying up treasures above. The meek stand 
above present things and look at eternal things : 2 Cor. iv. 18. 
Their inheriting the earth does not keep them from Christ ; that 
would be ungrateful ; but leads them to Christ, to tell him they 
are thankful. Christ, at the worst, is better than the world at 
the best : Phil. iii. 7, 8. 

happy frame of mind ! that thus secures heaven and inherits 
earth. " Blessed," truly blessed, " are the meek," who, however 
ill men may treat them, treat all men well; who are always 
thankful in the possession of what they have of the earth; well 
knowing, that when God withholds one thing from them, his 
design is to give a better to them. It is true, we cannot say they 
are perfect in holiness — have no doubts — that their blessedness 
is never interrupted ; but, after all, they are blessed in their con- 
dition; for they are supported, instructed, inherit the earth now, 
and shall in the end inherit all things. In a little white, you will be 
of age ; and then you will inherit a kingdom that cannot be moved. 



36 OF A BLESSING UPON THE CHILDREN OF THE GOOD. 

"In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence ; and his children shall have a 
place of refuge." — Proverbs xiv. 26. 

THE wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are 
bold as a lion: Prov. xxviii. 1. Here we have a double con- 
solation. 

First, "In the fear oftlie Lord is strong confidence." Sin makes 
man a coward; but "the fear of the Lord," that is, personal 
piety and practical holiness, toward God and man ; or, holiness 
in heart and life : 1 Kin. xviii. 3 ; or, in other words, true religion, 
inspires its possessor with strong confidence ; not in himself, but 
in God : Eph. iii. 12. The man who fears the Lord has nothing 
else to fear. 2d. In poverty he has confidence, and doubts not 
but the Lord, whom he endeavors to fear, or serve, will feed him : 
Ps. xxxvii. 3. . Gracious principles produce holy actions ; hence 
arises serenity of mind, and strong confidence. 3d. In persecu- 
tion he fears not man; but rejoices that he is counted worthy to 
suffer in so good a cause : Acts v. 41. The cruelty of man never 
leads him to doubt the mercy of God. 4th. Under temptation, 
religion gives strong confidence, that the Lord will lay no more 
upon him than he is able to bear : 1 Cor. x. 13 ; and will in due 
time deliver him. 5th. In sickness, and pain, when all human 
help fails, the fear of the Lord gives strong confidence in his 
unshaken promise : Ps. xli. 3. And, 6th. In the trying hour of 
death, there is strong confidence in the fear of the Lord: 
Ps. xxiii. 4. 

Secondly, " His children shall have a place of refuge." Believers 
are all the children of the Lord, by regeneration and adoption: 
John i. 12 ; Bom. viii. 15. And " His children shall have a place 
of refuge," in him: Ps. xlvi. 1. And let not the confidence of 
this God-fearing father shake, for "his children" shall not be left 
defenceless. Are you a parent? Let not your confidence fail 
you on account of your children, even should you not see your 
prayers answered in their behalf ; your prayers, and tears, shall 
not be forgotten before God ; though your children may seem to 
live regardless of all you can say or do. Your admonitions and 
example will live after you are dead. You may with confidence 
leave them with the Lord, and depend upon his taking good care 
of them : Jer. xlix. 11. 




" The promise is to you and your children." — Page 37. 



OF A BLESSING UPON THE CHILDREN OF THE GOOD. 37 

" The promise is to you and your children/' — Acts ii. 39. 

WHEN God entered into covenant with Abraham, he prom- 
ised, not only to be a God unto him, but his seed also : 
Gen. xvii. 7 ; and declared that in him all families of the earth 
should be blessed : Gen. xii. 3. And Peter, when addressing the 
Jews who had long had an interest in the Covenant, and wore 
the seal of it, reminded them of this fact. " The promise " of 
the remission of sins, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, "is to you;" 
as much as ever it was to them ; " and to your children ; " even as 
it was to theirs : Isa. xliv. 3. Let every believer in Christ do by 
their children as Abraham did by his, and they shall find that 
the promise is not confined to the Jews, but was extended even 
to all that are afar off : Gen. xviii. 19. 

No matter how far from God your children may appear, God is 
able to make his call reach them ; and the grace that found you 
out, is able to find out them ; and you have no room to doubt but 
it will : Prov. xx. 7. You cannot give your children grace ; but 
remember God can : Jer. xxxii. 27. When endeavoring to culti- 
vate the minds of your children, you may often have to sow the 
seed in sorrow ; but that is no proof it will never spring up : Ps. 
cxxvi. 5. You can trust the Lord with yourself, and are not 
afraid to venture both soul and body upon him ; and why not 
trust him with your children ? Ps. xxxvii. 25, 26. Continue to 
instruct them to the best of your ability ; teach them to know 
themselves ; to know God in the several relations in which He 
stands to them ; to know Christ in his person and offices ; to 
know the Scriptures, which are able to make them truly wise in 
the way of salvation : 2 Tim. iii. 15, 16 ; John xiv. 6. Set them 
a good example ; pray with them, and for them ; and put them 
upon praying for themselves ; and, having done all you can, leave 
the event with God ; never doubting but it will be well with them, 
both here and hereafter, " For the promise is to you and your 
children : " Jer. xxxii. 39. Endeavor, all that in you lies, to 
make your children acquainted with the fact, that this promise 
belongs to all of them. The promises of God are sure. Not a 
word that God hath spoken will by him be forgotten. 



38 OF A BLESSING UPON THE FAMILIES OF THE GOOD. 

" The house of the righteous shall stand." — Prov. xii. 7. 

THE grave is the house appointed for all living : Job xxx. 23 : 
and the body is a house for the soul : 2 Cor. v. 1 ; the former 
of these houses shall be destroyed : Hos. xiii. 14 ; and the latter 
shall crumble to dust : Job xxxiv. 15 ; but " the house" the 
household, or family, " of the righteous . shall stand : " Acts x. 2. 
And no wonder ; for how is it possible for that house to fall, which 
has the upholder of the universe for its prop? Matt. vii. 24. 
Whatever may become of others, it shall be well with the right- 
eous, or he who fears God, and his house : Gen. vii. 1. All who 
sustain the character, righteous, may rest assured the promise be- 
longs to them ; and that their families are under the special pro- 
tection of heaven ; therefore, no real evil can come nigh their 
dwelling : Job v. 24. The providence of God may change often, 
but the promises of God change never. 

The righteous have wisdom to govern their families aright ; 
and family-piety is sure to bring family-blessings : Ps. cxxviii. 
3-6. Death may remove a righteous man from his house, but 
his " house shall stand ; " his family shall be kept up ; his name 
shall not be forgotten: and his generation shall be blessed : Ps. 
cxii. 2. Look upon your own righteousness as filthy rags ; while 
you live by faith on Christ your Eighteousness. 

Be careful to know, that, through Christ, you are righteous in 
the sight of God ; and then, by faith, lay hold of the promises of 
God. There are many who look like saints in God's house, who 
live like sinners in their own house : Eph. v. 12. A righteous 
man is a new man : 2 Cor. v. 17 ; and, consequently, has put off 
the old man with his deeds : Col. iii. 9. The path of the right- 
eous may be dark, but the word of God is his lamp : Ps. cxix. 
195. His enemies may be numerous and formidable, but the 
Lord is his shield : Ps. xxxiii. 20. How, then, can it be possible 
for his house to fall, while it is so well supported ? Tempests 
may howl, storms arise, and foes beset it, but after all that 
can be done, " The house of the righteous shall stand." The 
rigors of superstition are from man. The voice of God is, fly 
misery : live and be happy. Rehearse, in your own house, the 
part you would perform in God's house. 



OF A BLESSING UPON THE FAMILIES OF THE GOOD. 39 

■ ' The Lord is faithful, who shall establish you, and keep you from evil. ' ' — 
2 Thess. iii. 3. 

IT is the duty and privilege of all Christians, not only to pray 
to God, but to trust in him. Observe, 

1st. What encouragement we have to put our trust in the 
Lord: " The Lord is faithful" He is faithful to his promises; 
he neither can nor will forget them. The Lord's saying of it is 
his doing of it ; when once the promise is made, the performance 
is sure to follow : Heb. vi. 18. He is faithful in all the relations 
in which he stands related to us ; as a faithful God, and a faith- 
ful Friend ; who was never known to disappoint one who trusted 
in him : Ps. xxii. 4, 5. 

2d. What that good is, we may expect from the Lord ; 1st. 
Establishment : What a consolation is this to the poor trembling 
believer ; who, from a sense of his own weakness, is constantly 
crying, " how unstable I am ! I am afraid that evil will, 
some time or other, prove my ruin!" Should this be your 
case, you would do well to remember, it was grace that saved 
you from evil ; and were you no better kept than what you can 
keep yourself, you would soon sell your birth-right, and make a 
shipwreck of faith and a good conscience : Eph. ii. 8, 9. The 
Lord has engaged to "establish" to fix, settle, and confirm you; 
and that should silence all your fears. He will direct, assist, and 
bless your undertaking: Ps. xc. 17. You have a corrupt, deceit- 
ful heart, that would constantly deceive and lead you into evil : 
Jer. xvii. 9 : but let not that trouble you. For, " The Lord shall 
establish you, and keep you from evil." The promise is made to 
you, and you need not be concerned about the performance of it : 
Matt. v. 18. He will not only keep your own person, but all 
that appertains unto you : Prov. xiv. 11. He regards yours on 
your account ; and you may depend upon his keeping you, and 
all you commit to his care, in perfect safety ; for " The Lord is 
faithful" The evil of sin is the greatest of all evils ; and you 
need fear nothing so long as you are kept from that evil. Re- 
member there is a wide difference between your living in evil, 
and evil living in you: Rom. vii. 21-23. Love the Lord — be 
afraid of sin — and ashamed of your unbelief. 



CHAPTER II. 

PROMISES RELATING TO TROUBLES IN LIEE : 

IX GENERAL . 
OF PRESERVATION FROM EVIL. 

" There shall no evil happen to the Just." — Prov. xii. 21. 

THE way of religion is a safe, pleasant, comfortable, and prof- 
itable way. Where grace reigns in the heart, it produces 
a holy security and serenity of soul ; it enables a man to hold 
fast Ms integrity and peace, whatever happens ; and gives him 
boldness before God and the world : Acts iv. 13. Whoever is 
careful to be sincerely just (righteous) may, in the midst of 
abounding calamity, rely upon the promises of a righteous God, 
who has engaged that ■• no evil"' shall happen to them. 

•• The just 93 may have troubles, yea, many troubles ; yet, to 
them, those troubles have "no evil" in them: Ps. xci. 10. The 
Lord, by the power of his grace, that principle of justice in them, 
keeps them from sin ; so that though they may be tempted, they 
shall not be overcome by the temptation: 1 Cor. x. 13. •'•' Tlie 
just,'- being satisfied they are in the path of their duty to God 
and man. feel themselves relieved from an oppressive burden ; 
it being their privilege to leave all consequences with God : Ps. 
xxxvii. 5. Be not discouraged ; whatever happens thee, whether 
sickness, poverty, crosses, disappointments, persecution, or losses. 
"no evil'' shall, no evil can happen thee: He shall deliver thee 
in six troubles ; yea. in seven, there shall no evil touch thee : 
Job v. 19. Fear no evil but the evil of sin. 



OF PRESERVATION FROM EVIL. 41 

"/ pray not that thou shouldst take them out of the world, but that thou 
shouldst keep them from the evil. ' ' — John xvii. 15. 

OUR advocate with, the Father is intimately acquainted with 
our wants, burdens, dangers, weaknesses, and difficulties; 
and we should, therefore, fear no evil but sin. Our spiritual 
enemies, it is true, are numerous and formidable ; but we have 
nothing to fear from them; nor from anything else that may 
come upon us, over which we have no control ; since Christ has 
prayed that we might be preserved from evil. Observe, 

First, the prayer itself. 1st. He prays, " Not that they should 
be taken out of the world." No, for many important ends are 
answered by Christians being continued in the world. Through 
their continuance in the world its conversion is promoted. They 
are the light of the world; and men beholding their good works, 
are led to glorify the Father of mercies : Matt. v. 14-16. The 
world is corrupted, and Christians, through their continuance in 
it, are, as the salt of the earth, the means of preserving it from 
further corruption: Matt. v. 13. The doctrines of the gospel 
which they spread, as salt, are penetrating, quick, and powerful : 
Heb. iv. 12 ; reach the heart : Acts ii. 37 ; are relishing, cleans- 
ing, and preserve from putrefaction. All other knowledge is 
very insipid without them : 1 Cor. ii. 14. The gospel is an ever- 
lasting gospel, and an everlasting covenant is called a covenant 
of salt : Numb, xviii. 19. Notice, 2d. For what Christ does pray. 
He prays that they might be "kept from the evil;" and for this 
he has taught us to pray : Matt. vi. 13. He does not here pray, 
that they might be kept from poverty, affliction, and pain, but 
from " the evil" 

Secondly. The present situation of Christians. Whilst here 
they are mixed with ungodly men, living in the same house, fol- 
lowing the same business, and exposed to the same temptations. 
But, though they are in the world, and have to do with it, they 
are not of it : John xv. 19. Through grace they are kept from 
the evil one : 1 Pet. v. 8 ; from the evil thing ; and from the evil 
of an evil world : Gal. i. 4. Christ hath prayed for you. Away 
with your unbelief; admire and adore that Saviour who prays 
for you: 1 John ii. 1. Fear not, while your Eedeemer lives and 
prays. 



42 OF SUPPORT UNDER TROUBLE. 

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." — Ps, 
xlri. 1. 

" f^\ OD, ?? who is self-existent, consequently independent of, and 
V!X far superior to. every other creature, u is our refuge:" and 
to Hirn we may have recourse. Here we are taught to triumph 
in God. Are we pursued by our enemies ? " God is our refuged' 
to whom we can flee, and in whom we are safe : Prov. xviii. 10. 
Notwithstanding our past sins, and present unworthiness, infinite 
wisdom, Almighty power, and unbounded goodness, is still our 
refuge. Our father, friend, and God is our refuge ; our tower ; 
our hiding-place; and to him we have free access at all times, and 
under every circumstance, through His beloved Son, our elder 
brother : John xiv. 6. 

Trouble you may, yea. will have, of one kind or other; but 
remember, God teaches some of his best lessons in the school of 
affliction; and though you cannot live without them, you may live 
above them. '•' God is our refuge ; " and to whom should a crea- 
ture go but to his Creator — a child but to his father — a sinner 
but to his Saviour — or a dependant but to his kind benefactor ? 
Indeed, to remove all our scruples, it is made a part of our relig- 
ion to apply to God as our refuge : Ps. 1. 15. But we ought to 
go humbly, confessing our sins : Jer. xiv. 7 ; reforming our lives : 
James iv. 8. Are our enemies strong, and our troubles great ? 
He is our " strength." to bear us up under every trouble, and fit 
us for every burden. If we are distressed, he is our " help" Xot 
a help at a distance, but " a present help." A help at hand. A 
tried help. There never was, nor can we desire, a better help. 
Whenever God helps, it is always with a dead-lift. See Ps. cxlv. 
18 ; Ps. xviii. 30 ; Heb. xiii. 5. He has been tried long and 
often ; and was never known to fail ; and is the same now as 
ever ; so that we have nothing to fear while " God is our 
refuge ; " nor anything to doubt while he is our " strength ; " but 
have all things to hope while God is our " help ; " and cause 
for rejoicing that he is. not only a present help, but a "vert 
present help in troubles.*' Troubles of all kinds, no matter how, 
whence, or when they come. " The Lord will be a refuge for the 
oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble : n Ps. ix. 9. 



OF SUPPORT UNDER TROUBLE. 43 

"My grace is sufficient for thee." — 2 Cor. xii. 9. 

WE are not to expect the pure enjoyments of heaven while 
on earth : we should, theref ore, be more careful to enu- 
merate what is for than what is against us. Our sorrows may be 
many, but our mercies are more ; and though, like Paul, we may 
find troubles on every side, the pit is never so deep but we may 
look up it : Ps. xl. 2. Whatever might have been the Apostle's 
affliction, we know it was a peculiar one. There was given unto 
him a thorn in the flesh, and a messenger of Satan to buffet him. 
It was such a trouble as the goodness of God would not suffer 
him to remove ; but still the prayer of faith was not in vain ; for 
though the burden was not removed from his back, his back was 
fitted to the burden ; and he received this gracious answer : " My 
grace is sufficient for thee." We may not be suffering precisely as 
the Apostle was ; but every Christian has his thorn in the flesh : 
Heb. xii. 1. 

God sometimes answers prayer in wrath : Numb. xi. 4, 5, 31- 
33 ; and sometimes denies in mercy : 2 Cor. xii. 7-9. Our afflic- 
tions may be considered in two respects : 1st. In their appoint- 
ment The Lord holds all creatures in his hand, and can correct 
and control their agency. He is the wise disposer of all events, 
and orders all things for the good of all his creatures : Kom. viii. 
28. Never let us stop at second causes ; but mount in our reflec- 
tions to that gracious Being who sits at the helm of affairs, 
ordering all things after the counsel of His own will. 2d. In 
their design. Afflictions are as frequently designed to prevent our 
falling into evil, as they are to recover us after we have fallen : 
Ps. cxix. 71. It matters not what your troubles are ; for, if it is 
for your good, God will remove them ; and, if not, you will find 
the supporting grace of God " is sufficient ; " and He will lay no 
more upon you, than what He enables you to bear : 1 Cor. x. 13. 
Wherever the Lord gives grace, He is sure to try grace ; but be 
not discouraged at the cross. Draw sweet consolations from all 
your afflictions : 2 Cor. iv. 17. Troubles are never comfortable, 
but always profitable: Heb. xii. 11. In all your troubles and 
afflictions, put your hand of faith upon, " My grace is sufficient 
lor thee." 



44 OF SUPPORT UNDER TROUBLE. 

"Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee" — Ps. lv. 22. 

GEACE reigns through the righteousness of Christ ; and all 
the mercy and favor we receive from God is in a way of 
righteousness. The soul, having fallen from a state of innocency 
in the first Adam, till it has a knowledge of being restored in 
Jesus, the second Adam, can never be happy ; but we enjoy the 
knowledge and comfort that we are righteous before God through 
faith in Christ : Kom. v. 1. Care is a trouble, and trouble is a 
burden which makes the heart stoop : Prov. xii. 25. Observe, 

1st. Our troubles, though we see them coming from God, must 
drive us to God, and not drive us from him. " Cast thy burden 
upon the Lord; " cast it upon Him by faith and prayer ; commit 
thy way and works to Him : Ps. xxxvii. 5. Stay thyself on his 
providence and promise ; and be easy in the assurance that all is 
working for thy good : Ps. cxxxviii. 7. Cast thy whole burden 
upon Him ; as thy troubles come one at a time, take them to, 
and cast them upon, the Lord. Enter into thy closet, lay all thy 
troubles before Him ; and, on leaving thy closet, be sure to bring 
not thy troubles away with thee ; but leave them with the Lord : 
Xahum i. 7. Whenever we take our burden to the Lord, unless 
Ave leave it with Him, the burden becomes heavier, and we grow 
weaker. 

2d. The encouragement given : " He shall sustain thee J 7 Pre- 
cious assurance ! He shall, not may, nor perhaps, but He shall. 
Do what ? Sustain thy burden ? Yea, more than that ; " He 
shall sustain thee" and thy burden into the bargain : Ps. xxvii. 
14. He has not promised immediately to free thee, but sustain 
thee : 1 Cor. x. 13. God had one Son without sin; but He never 
had one without suffering : Heb. xii. 6. " Cast thy burden now 
upon the Lord ; " for He will never be more willing to sustain 
thee, than he noiv is. When the Lord uses corrections, He only 
designs to convey instructions. Never did a tender nurse sustain 
an infant in her arms with greater care, than the Lord will sus- 
tain thee in the arms of his power : Isa. xlix. 15. He will 
strengthen thy spirit by His spirit. Take the Lord at his word, 
and cast thy burden upon him. 



OF SUPPORT UNDER TROUBLE. 45 

"God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are 
able; but will with the temptation also make a way for your escape." — 1 Cor. 
x. 13. 

WE live in a world of temptations, beset with snares on 
every hand; in every place, condition, employment, rela- 
tion, and enjoyment, our faith is exposed to trials : but this 
should in no way discourage us ; for either our trials will be 
proportioned to our strength, or our strength to our trials. Great 
comfort is to be drawn from this precious passage ! For, 

1st. "God is faithful" Satan maybe a deceiver; but God is 
true. Men may be false, and the world treacherous ; but God, in 
whom is our strength, will never fail us : Ps. lxxxix. 33. Do not 
look at your own unfaithfulness, but at God's faithfulness. Bear 
in mind, 

2d. He is wise as well as faithful. He knows what you can 
bear better than you do ; distrust not his grace and faithfulness ; 
for He "will not suffer you to be tempted (tried) above that ye are 
able:" Heb. xi. 17. Difficulties in your way should never dis- 
courage you, since God will take good care they shall never be 
too great for you to encounter. Rely upon his faithfulness. 
And, 

3d. Mark well the issue : " Will with the temptation (or trial) make 
a way for your escape" You may be so surrounded with troubles 
and difficulties that there may appear to be no way left for your 
escape ; but that is no proof that such is the case ; and, admitting 
there is now no way, God will make a way for your escape. 
There is no valley so deep and dark but God can find a way 
through it. You may even be so troubled as to become weary 
of life: Job x. 1; but God will preserve your life, and support 
your strength. There can be no affliction so grievous, nor any 
trouble so great, but He can prevent, remove, or enable us to 
bear; and, in the end, overrule to our advantage: Rom. viii. 28. 
^But unbelief might be ready to ask, how ? while faith cries out, 
that is Father's business ! and all I know about it, is, God hath 
said it, and will assuredly do it: Dan. iii. 17, 18. A child of 
God is a child of troubles, and should always take his troubles 
to God: Ps. cvii. 6. Men are fickle; your heart is deceitful; 
but " God is faithful." 



46 OF DELIVERANCE FROM TROUBLE. 

"Call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt 
glorify me" — Ps. 1. 15. 

HUMAU nature is constantly hatching its fears and unbelief, 
in anxious questions concerning to-morrow; or some 
threatening trouble; but Christ says, "Let not your heart be 
troubled." A good word maketh the heart glad : Prov. xii. 26. 
Poor, troubled Christian, here is a good word for thee. 

1st. "Call upon me;" be sure you mind that precious invita- 
tion; for our troubles must never keep us from God; but lead or 
drive us to him. Call upon whom you will beside, let nothing- 
prevent your calling upon God. Be not afraid of calling at an 
unseasonable hour; for you will always find him at home, seated 
upon a throne of grace, in constant readiness to attend upon all 
calls that are made upon him : Ps. xxxiv. 15. 

2d. Observe the time when you are invited, yea, commanded, 
to call upon him; "In the day of trouble." Troubled soul, do 
mind the time ! While in health, ease, affluence, and honor, you 
may scarcely be able to walk though a street without meeting 
with the invitation, "call upon me;'' but under a reverse of 
circumstances, "in the day of trouble," it may happen that you 
may not only wear out your shoes, but also your feet, without 
meeting an earthly friend who would sympathize with you and 
say, "call upon me." But the Lord urges upon you to call upon 
Him ; even when every other friend may have forsaken you, and 
every other refuge have failed you: Ps. xxxiv. 17. Call upon 
him in the full expectation of not calling in vain. For, 

3d. The promise is, " I icill deliver thee." He will not put you 
off with, "Can't you call again." Xo, but will, positively, 
"deliver thee." This is a cheap way of obtaining deliverance : 
Isa. lv. 1; nevertheless, it is a sure way: Matt. xi. 28. Others, 
on whom you may call, may tell you how sorry they are for you ; 
but the "Lord will deliver you.*' And now, 

4th. Xotice all He expects from you in return; "Thou shalt 
glorify me" This you must do, not only by telling of his 
goodness, but, by living to his glory. He has always delivered 
all who called upon him, and will deliver thee : Jer. xxix. 11. 



OF DELIVERANCE FROM TROUBLE. 47 

" The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations." — 2 Peter 
ii. 9. 

THIS is a living comfort in the saddest seasons ; the Lord 
knows both our sorrows and the cause of them. He fol- 
lows us, though we have cared so little for him ; and comforts 
us, though we have grieved him. It is the duty of all who live 
"godly" to look out and prepare for temptations, (or troubles) 
seeing they are a part of their legacy : John xvi. 33 ; and the 
way to heaven lies through them : Eev. vii. 14. The Lord knows 
the godly wherever they may be, and though there may be but 
one in five cities, that one shall not be forgotten : 2 Pet. ii. 6, 7. 
Observe, 

1st. The character given of those who look for deliverance, 
"the godly" A godly man, having obtained grace from God, 
makes it his business to glorify Him ; by worshipping, and imi- 
tating him: Ps. xii. 1; Titus ii. 12. Only be careful to serve 
God, and never doubt of his serving you. The people of God 
are frequently so hedged about with troubles, that they can see 
no prospect of deliverance. But, 

2d. " The Lord knoweth hoiv to deliver;" even when short- 
sighted man can see no way, He sees many ways : Isa. lv. 8, 9. 
Infinite wisdom can never be at a loss for a way to deliver the 
godly. But remember it is God's work to "deliver the godly;" 
and he knoweth how. Can you, then, for a moment doubt of his 
willingness ? Name a single instance, if you can, in which he 
either wanted the will or the way. Throughout the whole course 
of your life, do you ever recollect having one trouble from which 
he did not deliver you ? Not one. Then why doubt now ? Is 
the arm of the Lord shortened that he cannot save ? or his ear 
heavy that he cannot hear? Isa. lix. 1. Mercy's fountain is not 
dried up, though the God of mercy may appear to be silent : Matt. 
xv. 23. Every other port may be closed against you ; but the 
port of heaven is always open; and you may venture to run in 
there with your half-wrecked bark; and lie in perfect safety: 
Job viii. 20, 21. Fear not while you have breath to pray ; for 
the Lord knoweth how to deliver you. The Lord may chide 
bitterly, and strike heavily, while he loves you dearly : Heb. xii. 6. 



48 OF DELIVERANCE FROM TROUBLE. 

"Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compas- 
sion on the son of her womb ? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee." 
— Isa. xlix. 15. 

CHRISTIAN, is thy heart pained within thee on account of 
its own wickedness ? That is a godly sorrow which the 
wicked are strangers to; but is one of the greatest afflictions 
of the righteous. The troubles of the believer in Christ are 
frequently like poor Job's messengers, one treading upon the 
heels of another. This may be now thy case ; and thou mayest 
be tempted to believe the Lord hath forgotten thee. Away with 
your fears ; and behold the tender regard that God has for his 
people ! He seems to consider his glory reflected upon, if, in 
their trouble, they should only think that he has forgotten them. 
Do but hear him ! " Can a tvoman" one of the tender sex, a 
mother, "forget her sucking child ? " Look at that smiling babe, 
hanging at the breast of its tender mother ! See how she loves 
it ! how delighted with it ! it is part of herself ; she loves it, she 
suffered for it. Can she forget it ? Will she lend a deaf ear to 
its infant cries, and refuse to administer to its wants ? Is it pos- 
sible ? Yea, it is possible. A woman may be so heavily afflicted 
as to " forget her sucking child." There have been such monsters 
in the shape of women, as to have no compassion on their little 
offspring. Therefore, the Father of mercies says, " yea, they may 
forget." But to remove all the surmises of human nature, imme- 
diately adds, " yet will I not forget thee" A woman may forget 
that she is a mother, yet God will never forget that he is a 
Father : 2 Cor. vi. 18. So that, while you are in trouble, you 
may expect God will support you under, and, when he sees it will 
be for your good, deliver you from it : Ps. lxxi. 20. 

Be not over anxious to get rid of your present trouble : for a 
deliverance from one trouble only makes room for another : Matt. 
vi. 34. A man carried by the grace of God will ride easily over 
a rough road. Afflictions, like medicines, are few of them sweet, 
but all of them good : Ps. cxix. 71. In time of peace we are apt 
to let our armor go rusty ; but in war we keep it bright. Is the 
tender infant part of its mother ? It is — and so are we members 
of Christ's body : Eph. v. 30. 



OF DELIVERANCE FROM TROUBLE. 49 

"In all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that hath 
loved us." — Rom. viii. 37. 

WILL you, poor forlorn soul, say, My Lord hath forsaken me ; 
and I shall sink in my trouble ? True, thou mayest 
deserve it; but the Lord deals not with thee after that sort; 
though thou art a sinner, a backsliding sinner, a hell-deserving 
sinner, the very chief of sinners, Christ Jesus came into the 
world to save sinners: 1 Tim. i. 15. And still, his name is Jesus. 
And, "in all these things" — What things ? Tribulation, distress, 
persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, sword; in all these things 
"ive are more than conquerors;" for though troubled, yea, killed, 
we are sure of victory. This may appear a strange way ; but it 
is God's way: Ps: cxlv. 14; and must therefore be a good way. 
We conquer, though we die ; yea, we more than conquer ; for we 
triumph. Our Captain brings all his men out of the field, with- 
out losing anything that is valuable : 2 Cor. iv. 17, 18. Gold is 
refined in the furnace of fire; the Christian, in the furnace of 
affliction : 1 Pet. i. 7. Many have conquered in the flames, in the 
dungeon, on the rack, and under the axe. Surely then, you have 
no cause to fear : Isa. li. 22, 23. If victory over your sufferings 
depended upon yourself, you would have too much cause to fear ; 
but that is not the case ; for we are assured, we are conquerors 
only " through him who hath loved us." Mark that ! It is in the 
strength of Christ, and through Christ, that we are more than 
a match for all that troubles and opposes us; he having overcome 
for us : John xvi. 33. We cannot live without suffering, but it is 
our privilege to live above it ; " through him who hath loved us." 
Never measure your troubles by the pain they cause, but by the 
end they accomplish : Heb. xii. 11. 

Keason not with unbelief ; give credence to the word of your 
Saviour ; he has been with you in past troubles ; and has engaged 
not to leave you in this: Ps. xlii. 11. Deliverance will assuredly 
ccme when needful : John vi. 19. The word of the Lord abideth 
forever ; His covenant is sure ; His love is unchangeable ; and 
His promises are immutable. Draw nigh unto him in the full 
assurance of faith; and your night of trouble will be turned into 
joyous day : Ps. xxx. 5. 



50 OF DELIVERANCE FROM SICKNESS. 

"Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the 
noisome pestilence." — Ps. xci. 3. 

CHKISTIAN, never forget that your carnal reason is a home- 
bred foe, a domestic enemy, that constantly opposes the 
truths of your God, with, How can these things be ? and disputes 
your Lord's command, with, Hath the Lord required this ? and 
wants them all explained according to the rules of carnal concep- 
tion. Often has this foe caused your hands to hang down when 
they ought to have been lifted up in prayer : 1 Tim. ii. 8. Dis- 
card it ; treat it as an enemy to your soul's comfort, and your 
Lord's glory. The antidote is faith in the Redeemer. 

A believer in Christ is always safe; because he is kept by 
Christ : John xvii. 12. Many are the snares which are laid for 
you, and into which you would unwarily fall, and which would 
prove fatal to you, but for your kind deliverer. Dangers are 
often nearest to us when we are the least apprehensive of them ; 
and, like the poor bird, we are ignorant of the "snare of the 
foivler." And it is all owing to a kind, a gracious, and a watch- 
ful Providence, that our natural life has been spared : Job xxxiii. 
24-26. Our spiritual life also has been preserved by divine grace ; 
in the hour of temptation we have been "delivered from the 
snare of the fowler : " Col. iii. 3. Why should you be alarmed, 
on account of prevailing sickness ? you have hitherto been kept 
"from the noisome pestilence" which has carried off so many 
thousands, yea, millions, of our fellow-mortals, in different parts 
of the earth; and the promise shall hold good; " Surely he shall 
deliver thee : " Jer. xxxiii. 6. Our souls too have been delivered 
" from the noisome pestilence," sin : Ps. ciii. 3. Death may ride 
in triumph, and disease rage all around ; yet, " surely he shall 
deliver thee" Every arrow that Death hurls has its commission ; 
the Egyptians may have death in every house, and the Assyrian 
army be all cut off in one night ; still, Israel is safe : Ps. lxviii. 
20. God often afflicts our bodies, that we might the better know 
what is in our hearts. Hard weather will try our health, but 
sickness tries our grace : 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. Wait on the Lord, be of 
good courage, and he shall strengthen thy heart ; wait, I say, on 
the Lord : Ps. xxvii. 14. 



OF DELIVERANCE FROM SICKNESS. 51 

" The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up." 
— James v. 15. 

THIS, poor afflicted soul, is thy happiness below, thy heaven 
upon earth, to have access to the Father of consolation in 
all thy afflictions. When G-od, and Christ, and heaven are within, 
it matters but little what is without. Here we have the duty 
of an afflicted child sweetly connected with the Father's gracious 
assurance. Observe, 

1st. It is not a faint, cold, formal, and indifferent prayer, that 
is here spoken of: but "the prayer of faith:" not only on the 
part of the person praying, but also on the part of those prayed 
for. Faithful prayer is powerful and prevailing prayer: Exod. 
xxxii. 9-14. The prayer of faith "shall save the sick;" that is, 
if God sees it will be for the good of the sick, and he has any 
thing farther for them to do in this world ; and if not, faith and 
prayer will not prevail ; neither would a humble believer desire 
that it should be otherwise, than just as Father would have it : 
Job xiii. 15. Sin is the cause of sickness; we ought, therefore, 
to pray for the removal of sin, rather than for the removal of 
our own or others' sickness : Ps. xli. 4. 

2d. See also the success that attends the faithful prayer; 
" The Lord shall raise him up" So that, you perceive, it is the 
Lord's work to raise up as well as to pull down : Ps. cvii. 25. 
And well it is for us, that it is the Lord's work ; for He is infinite 
in wisdom; and can, therefore, make no mistake; and His love is 
boundless, consequently he cannot be unkind : Rom. viii. 32. He 
will never permit sickness to come upon any of his children, till 
He sees it needful for them. Are you sick ? If so, Father knows 
it ; and is watching over you ; He knows how long you have 
been sick ; and how much you can bear ; and will " raise you up," 
when he sees you have been sick long enough. Let the Lord's 
will be your will ; and judge not of His love to you by your love 
to him. Sickness should never trouble you; but should always 
humble you : Lam. iii. 19, 20. You are not sick by chance: Job 
v. 6. You may be tempted sorely, and have darkness over your 
soul, owing to your bodily afflictions ; and this will grieve you 
worst of all ; but remember, Father knows you are but dust. 



52 OF SUPPORT UNDER SICKNESS. 

" The Lord will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing : thou wilt 
make all his bed in his sickness." — Ps. xli. 3. 

IN this one verse is a plurality of comforts for a believer on a 
bed of sickness : or with it in prospect ; they are to be en- 
joyed by faith, by every believing soul; let us now look at them. 
Let the poor afflicted Christian consider. 

1st. •• The Lord v:\ll strengthen him." both in body and mind : 
and should he be too weak to sit up. being worn down by sick- 
ness, no matter : the Lord can. and will, do it " upon the bed of 
though he may have long lain ; and become wasted 
Lckness; or reduced by racking pains: God will assuredly 
enable him to bear up cheerfully under his afflictions, and pa- 
tiently wait the issue : Ps. Ixxiii. 26. 

2d. The Lord will be his nurse. He will not only be con- 
stantly with him in his sick-chamber, but will •■ make all Jus bed 
in his -s:" He will -make oil his bed;" will shake it up, 

turn it over, and, from head to foot, make it very easy : even as 
1 of health. how soft must that bed be. made by so good 
a hand ! So accustomed is He to making beds for his children, 
that, even a bed of straw. He makes to lie soft as down : Ps. 
exvi. 6. The Lord has nowhere promised, that you shall never 
i :k : or that you shall never be confined to a bed of languish- 
ing : but he has promised to strengthen you in the one, and sup- 
port you on the other. So that you need not fear being left to 
your own helplessness : since He has engaged to attend you him- 
self, in the capacity of Physician and ZSTurse. Bear in mind. 
afflicted Christian, that while your heavenly Father afflicts you 
with one hand, he supports you with the other. When pain pre- 
vails over your weak frame, you may be tempted to think your- 
self forgotten : that your religion is vain, and that you have " 

dving yourself; but your afflictions prove that you are an 
object both of Satan's enmity and the Lord's fatherly discipline : 
Heb. xii. 6. 7. 

A stubborn and rebellious mind in a Christian, must be brought 

low: and if naked blessings do not humble us. they are sent 

disguised in afflictions. You are now called to be a hero, not in 

n. but in suffering ; you are in God's school under education : 

where you are being instructed by chastisement. Bear it patiently. 



OF SUPPORT UNDER SICKNESS. 53 

" The trial of your faith, being much more precious than that of gold that 
perisheth, though it be tried with fire." — 1 Pet. i. 7. 

MANY things may rob a Christian of his happy frame, yet 
nothing can deprive him of the foundation of his happi- 
ness ; for it is founded in the unchangeable love and truth of 
God. Here is a stream flowing to the citizens of heaven from 
the shoreless ocean of God's love: Ps. xlvi. 1-5. Observe, 

1st. God's design is, not to destroy you, but to refine you, and 
has afflicted you, for "the trial of your faith." Faith that is not 
tried is hardly worth calling "faith" The fire tries gold ; afflic- 
tions try faith. By the trial of your faith your Christianity is 
tried ; and without faith all your pretensions to religion are vain : 
Heb. xi. 6. There is a mock-faith, which, with some, passes for 
real faith ; but, when tried, is always found to be good for noth- 
ing ; and will not stand the fire. But yours is " precious faith : " 
2 Pet. i. 1. A grain of faith is worth a ton of gold. Yea, it is 
" much more precious than gold;" for this plain reason, "gold 
perisheth ; " but faith never will perish. Gold, " though it be 
tried in the fire" does not increase in the fire ; and faith does : 
James i. 3. It is not all gold that looks like gold ; neither is 
that all faith which looks like faith ; the fire will prove them 
both. When the formalist is told that he must be tried, he cries 
out, " This is a hard saying ; who can hear it ? " John vi. 60. 
But when the believer is in the furnace he confidently says, 
When He hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold : Job xxiii. 10. 

The Lord, in afflicting you, designs your good ; not your ruin. 
The most valuable, pure, useful, and durable of all metals, is 
tried-gold ; so is tried-faith among all the Christian virtues. The 
trial of both, gold and faith, is intended to separate the dross 
from that which is valuable. Gold rather diminishes in the trial ; 
but faith is improved, established and multiplied, by its opposi- 
tions and afflictions. The best of gold must perish at last : Luke 
xxii. 32. The enemy of your soul may be permitted to go the 
full length of his chain, and greatly annoy you during your sick- 
ness ; but he can go no farther ; and a faithful God will never 
suffer you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear, for 
"the trial of your faith is precious." 



54 OF SUPPORT IN OLD AGE. 

"And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry 
you : I have made and I will bear, even I will carry, and will deliver you." — 
Isa. xlvi. 4. 

POOE soul, art thou, not only almost at thy journey's end, 
but. perhaps too, at thy wits 9 end ? Do men insult and 
Satan triumph over thee, till thou art almost drunk with trouble 
and intoxicated with affliction ? Are they accusing thee vrith 
being a hypocrite ; asking, now. where is thy religion : and call- 
ing upon thee to bow down that they may go over thee ? Do 
they impudently ask thee. •'• TThere is thy God ? " and perplex 
thee till thou art almost ready to ask thyself the same question ? 
Ps. xlii. 3. Here you have an answer to all such questions, from 
your God himself. •• I am He." I formed you : gave your 
being ; sustained you while a helpless infant at the breast : I 
marked your infant path with mercy : regarded you. and brought 
you safely through the slippery path of youth ; conducted you 
in safety to manhood; led you on to maturity; "And even to 
your old age I am he." Though your strength might decay, my 
love shall not diminish : Jer. xxxi. 3. Infirmities may load your 
body, but my grace is sufficient: 2 Cor. xii. 9. I not only made 
you, but have redeemed you; therefore ■• I will hear" you; yea, 
and more than that, when you cannot walk for old age and in- 
firmity. •• I wiU carry you : " Isa. xli. 14. Are you unfit for busi- 
ness ? let that give you no concern; "even to hoar hairs" 
your bread shall still be given you : Isa. xxxiii. 16. Are your 
friends grown weary of supporting you ? still trust in me ; my 
friendship shall never grow cold : Heb. xiii. 5. Are you desiring 
that some friend would come and "deliver you t n %> I am her 
who has brought you thus far on your journey through life ; and 
I am not going to leave you now you need my help most. You 
change often, but I change never : Heb. i. 10-12. Let not your 
heart be troubled; from all your griefs and infirmities, " I will 
deliver you." 0. how does his grace shine in this gracious speech ! 
Canst thou help loving and adoring- so gracious a master ? He 
never turns his servants off, to shift for themselves in old age : 
no ; for when they are unable either to work or walk, he will 
keep them, if it be only to look at. Be assured of it. he will 
take good care of you. 



OF SUPPORT IN OLD AGE. 55 

"And lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen." — 
Matt, xxviii. 20. 

ALL the promises of God, as well as the threatenings, were 
made to characters; hence, we must always know that we 
sustain the character before we lay our claim to the promise. 
This precious promise (or declaration) was made to the Apostles ; 
and, as such, belongs to them exclusively; but being made to 
them as ministers of the gospel, may be claimed by all who truly 
sustain that character ; and being given to them as disciples or 
Christians, all the faithful followers of Christ have an equal 
claim to it. Let us then, aged soldier of the cross, consider, 

First, the great privilege possessed by all real believers in 
Jesus. "lam with you always." They have not only his gen- 
eral presence, which all have, but his special presence. 1st. His 
guiding presence. He guides his people, as he did Israel of old, 
through this world, which would be a dreary wilderness without 
his presence : Deut. viii. 2. He guides us by his providence and 
grace : John iii. 35 ; his word and spirit : Isa. xlii. 16. And, 2d. 
His protecting presence is with them ; so that you shall not only 
be guided in the right way, but be preserved from those enemies 
and snares which beset you : Ps. xlvi. 1. Eest assured nothing 
can harm you while Christ is with you : 1 Pet. iii. 13. You may 
be bending under the weight of many years ; and worn down with 
cares ; but let none of those things trouble you. For, 3d. His 
sustaining presence is with you. He is your gracious Saviour, 
and has engaged to richly supply all your needs ; all you have to 
do, is to place your whole dependence upon him, and ask, in his 
name, the things you need : John xiv. 13, 14. And, 4th. You 
have his abiding presence. He is with you always, " even to the 
end of the world." So that you will have his company and aid to 
the end of your journey : Ps. lxxiii. 24. And hence we may 
learn, 

Secondly, The happiness of believers. 1st. The presence of 
Christ gives rest in this life : Matt. xi. 28, 29 ; and peace that the 
world knows nothing of : John xvi. 33. 2d. His presence gives 
victory over sin, death, and the grave : 1 Cor. xv. 55-57. And, 
3d. His presence gives happiness in the world to come: Ps, xvi. 
11. 



56 OF SUPPORT IN CHILD-BEARING. 

"He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee ; he will also bfess the 
fruit of thy womb." — Deut. vii. 13. 

PERMIT me, dear sister, to remind thee of that near relation 
in which the God of all comfort stands to thee. For thy 
Maker is thy husband : the Lord of hosts is his name : Isa. liv. 
5. And what more can you desire to complete your happiness 
than what he has promised ? 

1st. " He ivill love thee." The Lord has loved thee, and given 
unnumbered proofs of his love ; and " He" having fallen in love 
with thee, " will love thee : " 1 John iv. 9, 10. " He ivill love thee" 
notwithstanding thou art so very homely in thy own eyes ; for he 
looks upon thee as a perfect beauty, through his comeliness 
which he has put upon thee : Ezek. xvi. 6-14. 2d. Thou shalt 
have further proof of his love, too, than mere words ; for " He 
will bless thee" yea, and thou shalt be blessed. Do not talk about 
ill-requited love now ; you have only to do better for the time to 
come, and evince your love to him by keeping his commandments ; 
and the desire of your heart shall be granted: Ps. xxxvii. 4. 
For, 3d. "He ivill multiply thee;" and, if he sees it will be for 
thy good, he will never suffer thee to have an estate without an 
heir, nor an heir without an estate. Let not your present trying 
situation cause you any uneasiness, but rest assured that he who 
formed thee knows well how to form thine. You know he has 
loved you; and, in numberless instances, blessed you, and inter- 
posed in your behalf ; and you have a good right to expect that 
he will bless yours; for he says he will; and surely his word is 
sufficient to remove all your scruples, and dispel your fears : 
Matt. xxiv. 35. 4th. He has blessed the tree, and says " He ivill 
bless the fruit ;" so that he has put the matter beyond dispute. 
He is acquainted with every ache and pain you feel ; and when 
the time of your extremity arrives, " He will love thee, and bless 
thee, and multiply thee ; he ivill also bless the fruit ;" and take the 
best of care of the tree. Your feelings you cannot avoid ; they 
are peculiar to your present situation ; but it is your privilege to 
live above them, though you cannot live without them. While 
it is your duty quietly to submit to your trial, let your fears be 
given to the winds : Isa. xli. 10. He will bless both thee and 
thine. 



OF SUPPORT IN CHILD-BEARING. 57 

" Notwithstanding, she shall be saved in child-bearing, if they continue in 
faith, and charity, and holiness, with sobriety ." — 1 Tim. ii. 15. 

"TTTHEISr in the midst of fears, in the sight of dangers, and in 
* * the dread of destruction, it is our business to cease from 
self-confidence, attend to the voice of God, rely upon his promises, 
hope in his mercy, and quietly wait for his great deliverance : 
Lam. iii. 26. Stand still, sister, admire, adore, love, and confide 
in a gracious, wonder-working, sinner-saving Lord. For, "not- 
withstanding " the woman was first deceived by the tempter, and 
was the first to bring sin into our world, she also brought forth 
the Saviour; and "she shall be saved in child-bearing." "Not- 
withstanding " the sentence she is under, Gen. iii. 16, there can 
be no bar in the way of her acceptance with Christ. The head 
of the serpent has been bruised by the seed of woman ; and 
" she shall be saved." Let your principal care be to " continue in 
faith" which is a saving grace : Eph. ii. 8 ; purifies the heart : 
Acts xv. 9; worketh by love, or "charity :" Gal. v. 6; "and holi- 
ness" which is the opposite of all sin, and is inseparably con- 
nected with happiness : Heb. xii. 14 ; " with sobriety" prudence, 
gravity, humility, and temperance : Titus ii. 12. 

While brooding over your present difficulties, and gloomy pros- 
pect, you may be ready to say, " Many truly pious women in my 
situation have died, while others, notorious for impiety, have 
been brought through their trouble." That certainly has been 
the case ; but it is no proof of its being so with you : Ps. 1. 15. 
" Continue in faith ; " live to God ; rely upon his gracious promises ; 
and though the difficulties and dangers of child-bearing are many 
and great, being a part of the punishment inflicted on your sex, 
for Eve's transgression, "Notwithstanding, she shall be saved in 
child-bearing." Though in sorrow, she shall be made a mother ; 
she shall be a living mother of living children. Live faithfully, 
charitably, holy and soberly : and then, by taking hold of the 
promises of God, you will be able to live comfortably. Be 
ashamed of your unbelief ; it damps your joy ; brings a dark 
cloud between you and the blessed Sun of righteousness ; and 
withholds the glory of your heart. Be not faithless, sister, but 
believing. 



58 TO THE STRANGER. 

"He loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment." — Deut. x. 18. 
"TTTE are too apt to be forgetful of our home above, while sur- 

* * rounded with all the comforts of a home below. The 
Lord sometimes strips us of them to turn our thoughts home- 
ward. But even then, he does not leave us comfortless ; for as 
tribulation abounds, consolation also abounds : 2 Cor. i. 5. The 
Christian is frequently called to suffer in mind, from having to 
live amongst men, and find so few men; and among Christians, 
and meet with so few Christians. Sometimes he is a stranger in 
a strange land, without any certain dwelling-place, exposed to 
hunger, hardships, and want ; but in the worst of times, he has 
this best of consolations, to know that God is with him : Isa. xli. 
10. Strangers are constantly exposed ; and, very frequently des- 
titute of friends ; which makes their case truly pitiable. Should 
this be your case, be not discouraged : you have still one friend 
left, who is both able and willing to help you : Isa. xxv. 4. Do 
not be afraid, or ashamed, to apply to him immediately ; and lay 
before him the true state of your case. He is your covenant- 
keeping God. and will not send you empty away. For, 

1st. " He loveth the stranger.*' Here is thy comfort; He ever 
loves, always hears, and can instantly deliver thee. Judge not 
of thy Fathers love by his present dispositions ; if thou art 
sorely smitten on earth, go and unbosom thyself to thy best 
friend, thy faithful Friend, in heaven. He loves thee ; cares for 
thee ; and will listen to all thy complaints. 

2d. The stranger may be permitted to suffer, for awhile, the 
gnawing pains of hunger; but this affords the Lord an oppor- 
tunity of proving His love, -in giving him food." Shew the 
stranger's Friend your trouble : Ps. cxlii. 2. He who feeds the 
ravens, and sent Elijah his food in the mouth of ravens, has 
engaged to give you food, even amongst strangers. Your apparel 
may be worn threadbare, yea, worn out ; but no matter ; you can 
enter the court of your Fathers house, though in rags ; for, 

3d. He gives ''raiment" to the stranger, on his applying for it. 
if he sees it will be for the best. He will be no less mindful of 
you. than of the grass : Matt. vi. 30. 



TO THE STRANGER. 59 

14 My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory by 
Christ Jesus." — Phil. iv. 19. 

HEEE we have a promissory note drawn upon the Exchequer 
of Heaven ; and a precious one it is ; good to the amount 
of all we need ; current in every country ; always duly honored ; 
and never withdrawn. Stranger, whoever you are, or wherever 
you are, if you are a Christian, it is impossible for you to need 
anything which God cannot supply you with : Ps. xxiv. 1. Paul, 
though a great saint, was a poor sinner, even as others. Yet hav- 
ing experienced so much of the goodness of God himself, with 
what unshaken confidence and boldness, he speaks of what his 
God shall do. Observe, 

1st. Paul's God is your God ; and it matters not where your 
lot is cast, nor what your situation might be ; though you may be 
a houseless wanderer, in a strange country, penniless, friendless, 
and forlorn ; with no eye to pity your distress, nor any hand to 
minister to your relief: still you shall have no cause to complain; 
for you have only to carry this check to the bank of Heaven, at 
any hour you please, and you may depend upon receiving the 
amount of " all you need." And, what more can you desire ? 
Deut. x. 18. Believers' needs are God's concerns ; and He will 
supply them: Ps. lxxxiv. 11. "My God" says faithful Paul, 
"shall supply ; supply all your need." Not he may ; but "He 
shall." Not supply you in part ; no ; but all. Not all your 
wants, but all your needs : Ezek. xi. 16. 

2d. He will, yea, "shall supply all your need," not according 
to your merit, but his mercy ; not according to your poverty on 
earth, but according to "his riches in glory ; " not only riches, but 
riches in glory ; glorious riches. You receive all from glory ; and 
all tends to glory. Think not so dishonorably of your God, as to 
suppose him an unconcerned spectator of your need ; or that he 
will withhold from you what you do need. 

3d. " Christ Jesus" through whom "your need" is supplied, is 
your Saviour, your Friend, who loveth at all times ; your elder 
Brother who was born for adversity. He is touched with a ten- 
der sympathy, a feeling sense of all your infirmities : Heb. iv. 15. 
Stretch your empty hands towards your God : Isa. lxvi. 2. 



60 TO THE POOR AND HELPLESS. 

" The needy shall not always be forgotten ; the expectation of the poor shall 
not perish forever." — Ps. ix. 18. 

THE faith, patience, and valor, of Christ's soldiers are best 
known, when sorest tried. The poor never ceased even out 
of the land of Israel : Deut. xv. 11. For ye have, says Christ, the 
poor always with you : Matt. xxvi. 11. Those who have a heart 
to do good, need never complain for want of opportunity. Not- 
Avith standing, there are many who have " much goods," who do no 
good with their goods ; but while they abound with plenty, forget 
the poor in their poverty. In this passage there is a double con- 
solation for the poor and helpless. 

1st. " The needy shall not always be forgotten." Truly, this is a 
great encouragement for you, poor Christian, to wait patiently 
upon God ; and not to think, because you are needy , and neglected 
by man, that you are forgotten by the Lord : Job xxxvi. 15. Do 
not suppose, because you have so long to wait, that you will " ah 
ivays be forgotten;" for that is impossible: Isa. xlix. 15. You may 
have expected help from man, and have been disappointed. But 
if your are now expecting help from God, be assured, your expec- 
tation shall not be cut off : Prov. xxiii. 18. Dry up your tears ; 
muster your faith and patience. Try a throne of grace once more : 
Ps. cii. 17. Deliverance will shortly come : Ps. Ixxii. 12, 13. The 
darkest part of the night is a little before day. Poverty is no 
sin. See Jesus, consider Jesus, who had not where to lay his 
head. He sees you, considers you, and bears a part in all your 
griefs : Heb. iv. 15. You may have been looking for help, from 
quarters you naturally expected to find it, but have been disap- 
pointed ; and now you are tempted to think deliverance will 
never come. Keason not so with unbelief. For, 

2d. " Your expectation shall not perish forever." It is true, you 
cannot live on faith ; but you may, and it is your privilege to, 
live by faith : Eom. i. 17. Your family, if you have one, requires 
something of a different nature ; but just as your children, or 
dependants, make their needs known, and cry to you, do you do 
so to your heavenly Father : Ps. ciii. 13. Blind unbelief is sure 
to err ; and carnal reason makes a false report. 



TO THE POOR AND HELPLESS. 61 

"Let the brother of low degree rejoice, in that he is exalted." — James i. 9. 

THE brightest saints are often the greatest sufferers ; though 
sufferings and afflictions are the common lot of all Chris- 
tians : Jas. ii. 5. But poverty does not destroy the relation in 
which they stand to each other and to Christ. For, 

1st. They are brethren; and it is their privilege to rejoice, even 
in tribulation : Kom. v. 3. Our hopes and comforts rise or fall, 
according to our faith in what Christ is in himself ; and what He 
is to us. It is, therefore, important, that we claim him in all the 
relations in which he stands to us. He is not only our Saviour 
and Advocate, but our Brother : Heb. ii. 17. You may be 
brought very low, and your life, which is but a span long, be full 
of evils ; each fleeting day may bring upon its wing some new 
sorrow ; and the adversary may be permitted to buffet you, while 
his fiery darts are flying thick around you ; still, you belong to the 
brotherhood ; and are called upon to rejoice. " Let the brother of 
low degree rejoice" Do you ask, "In what can I rejoice, seeing I 
am almost worn out, and wearied out ? what with my poor dis- 
tressed circumstances, the plague of my deceitful heart, the vio- 
lent assaults of Satan, the absence of my Saviour's smiles, the 
troubles of the world, and the powerful workings of unbelief, my 
life is a burden; and, in what have I to rejoice ? " Whatever 
your frames and feelings, troubles and cares may be, remember, 
"the brother of low degree" has good ground to rejoice upon; not 
only because he is called a brother, but, 

2d. " In that he is exalted" Mind that ; not shall be ; but " is 
exalted" Worldly wealth soon withers, and worldly friends 
die with it ; but you are exalted to be heir to an inheritance that 
cannot fade : 1 Pet. i. 4. Your troubles will soon have an end ; 
the whistling winds of adversity will shortly cease to blow upon 
your humble cot ; you will soon be freed from the iron hand of 
poverty, and the frozen looks of icy-hearted friends. You can 
never take any real harm from poverty in pocket, so long as you 
remain " poor in spirit : " Matt. v. 3. Deliverance will shortly 
come: Ps. exiii. 7. The Lord has good things in store for you; 
and you shall have them : Ps. lxviii. 10, 



62 TO THE WIDOW AND FATHERLESS. 

"He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow." — Deut. x. 18. 

MEN" glory in their greatness ; but God glories in his good- 
ness ; and wherever he finds human misery, He is sure to 
bestow divine mercy : Ps. lxxii. 4. The Lord is good to all ; but 
truly good to all who love him : Ps. lxxiii. 1. He ever loves to 
help the helpless ; therefore, poor, heart-stricken widow, and sor- 
rowful orphans, He has taken your cause into his own hands. 
Hearken, sister, the Lord of Hosts commands away thy fears ; and 
declares himself to be thy husband: Isa. liv. 4, 5. Think not 
because you have lost your husband you have lost your God. No ; 
that can never be. You are married to him ; and He hates put- 
ting away. And all that he expects from you is, that you should 
bring forth fruit unto him. He will love, honor, and cherish you, 
succor and support you, in sickness and in health ; and will not 
suffer even death itself to part you. Men may endeavor to take 
an advantage of your weakness and helplessness ; but wo be to 
them, who shall dare to make such an attempt, or in anywise 
afflict you : Exod. xxii. 22-24. Make yourselves perfectly easy ; 
for " He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow." 

When a family is bereft of its head, then the Lord takes the 
charge upon himself ; so that, the widow and fatherless find 
their loss more than made up. He is a Judge or Patron of the 
widows, to give them every necessary advice, plead their cause, 
do them right, and see them righted : Prov. xxii. 23. His ear is 
open to all their cries, and his hand supplies all their needs. He 
is a Eather of the fatherless ; He defends their cause, pities them, 
blesses them, provides for them, instructs them, and portions 
them : Ps. lxviii. 5. Once more, let me remind thee, poor widow., 
the Lord has taken thee for better, for worse ; as a bride, love 
him, honor and obey him, and keep thee only to him ; and, indul- 
gent as thy former husband might have been, thou wilt find Him 
infinitely more kind. And let the fatherless act towards Him as 
they would to a kind and indulgent father, and they shall have no 
cause to complain, but abundant cause to rejoice in having the 
Lord for their Father. In the Lord the fatherless find mercy : 
Hos. xiv. 3. 




11 He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and the widow." — Page 62. 



TO THE WIDOW AND FATHERLESS. 63 

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is this, To visit 
the father/ess and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted 
from the world." — James i. 27. 

A CHRISTIAN does not work to live; but he does live to 
work : Jas. ii. 22. Christ dwelling in the heart, by faith, is 
the source and spring of all comfort, and every good work: Eph. 
iii. 17. We have here a touchstone, by which we may try our 
religion; and which, if men would only take the trouble to bring 
their religion to it, would soon put an end to all hot disputes. 
Observe, what is said of true religion. 

1st. It is called "Pure religion;" not mixed with the inven- 
tions and traditions of man; nor the corruptions of the world. 
2d. It is "undefiled;" having no connexion whatever with 
bigotry, prejudice, party-zeal, or uncharitableness : 1 John iii. 10. 
It is of the utmost importance that our religion be pure and kept 
undefiled; and that it teach us to act, on all occasions, as in the 
presence of Him whom we profess to serve ; that we may please 
Him in all our actions. For no religion is of any value, but that 
which is found pure and undefiled "before God and the Father" 
3d. A very necessary part of true religion is, " To visit the father- 
less and widoivs in their affliction" The Lord knows they need 
visiting, and that they are too frequently neglected ; but He will 
not forget them ; and has, therefore, made it a part of our religion 
to visit them ; and not from curiosity, or mere compliment, but 
in compassion and charity. 4th. The man whose religion is pure, 
must not only endeavor to preserve that from being defiled, but, 
must "keep himself unspotted from the world." It is hard to 
live in the world, and have to do with it, and not be spotted by 
it; but this must be our constant endeavor: 1 Cor. x. 31. We 
may travel a bad road, without sitting down in the mud. 

Are you fatherless? — put your trust in God; live to him; 
wipe away your tears ; for though your loss is great, your gain 
is greater; and your heavenly Father will more than fill your 
earthly father's place: Hos. xiv. 2. Are you a widow 9 — cease 
to mourn your loss ; for God has engaged to act in the double 
capacity of Father and Husband toward you; and he will never 
break his engagement ; Ps. lxviii. 5. 



64 TO THE PRISONER AND CAPTIVE. 

" Verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil, and 
in the time of affliction." — Jer. xv. 11. 

WHAT a sweet harmony exists between the Father's prom- 
ises and the children's needs ! Eeligion will never ex- 
empt a man from trouble, but it will make him happy in trouble ; 
for he knows, go how it may with others, it is sure to be icell with 
him : Isa. iii. 10. Should you be brought into prison, or afflic- 
tion, for righteousness' sake, a righteous God will cause your 
enemies " to entreat you icell" for his mercy's sake : Isa. xlix. 25. 
The God whom you serve has the hearts of all men in his hand; 
and can, yea, will, cause the enemy, into whose hands you may have 
fallen, to treat thee well. And of this you have no room to doubt; 
for he has not only said, " I wiU" which ought to be sufficient, 
but, "Yerilv, I will." All that God says, He does; and when- 
ever trouble comes, grace is never far behind; and it will go 
better with you amongst open enemies, than pretended friends: 
2 Cor. xii. 9. 

It matters but little where you are, if Jesus be with you. His 
presence will dispel your gloom ; turn a prison into a palace ; and 
a palace into a toy. And you may depend upon it, he loves you 
too well to surfer you to live on earth without him ; or to live in 
heaven without you : John xiv. 2, 3. Should the enemy be per- 
mitted to do his worst, he can do no more than bind, confine, 
torment, and afflict your poor body; he cannot bind jowt soul; 
nor prevent God from visiting, blessing, and supporting it : Deut. 
xxx. 4. Xeither will he suffer the enemy to hurt a hair of thy 
head, nor afflict thee, unless He sees it will be icell for thee : Matt. 
x. 30, 31. For He has said, " Verily I will cause the enemy to en- 
treat thee well" Hath he said it, and shall he not do it? And 
this He will do "in the time of evil;" in the time of trouble and 
sorrow: Job ii. 10. You have no evil to fear but sin; which is 
the true cause of every natural evil: Ps. xxxiv. 16. By avoiding 
sin, you have nothing to dread from the worst of evils; and you 
will have the happiness to know, that whatever other evil or afflic- 
tion may befall you, is for your good : Job v. 6, 7 ; inasmuch as it 
is of the Lord : Amos iii. 6 ; through whose mercies we are not 
consumed: Lam. iii. 22. 



TO THE PKISONER AND CAPTIVE. 65 

"/ will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not 
be able to gainsay nor resist." — Luke xxi. 15. 

"TTTHILE Christ lives, a believer's hopes can never die; his 
* * soul may be cast down, but cannot despair; he may be 
stripped of earthly comforts, but nothing can separate him from 
i,he love of Christ : Eom. viii. 38, 39. If you are an advocate of 
the truth of Christ, you may expect to suffer in its defence, and 
need not think it strange should you be brought before ecclesias- 
tic and civil courts for his sake : John xvi. 2. Should this be 
your case, let it give you no concern, as though it was a case of 
your own ; for Christ will " give you a .mouth" to speak with ; 
" and wisdom" to know when to speak, and what to speak. When- 
ever, and wherever, you are called to plead the cause of Christ. 
you may depend upon having a mouth and wisdom to do it with. 
He does not say, I will send some one to be a mouth for you, and 
supply your lack of wisdom; no; but, "I will give you a mouth 
and wisdom : " which most certainly proves him to be more than 
man ; or he could not tell when those things would be needed : 
nor give them if he could tell : James i. 5. 

You may even be brought like a criminal to the bar; and have 
grievous things laid to your charge, as was the case with your 
Lord before you; but still, "your adversaries" though seated in 
pomp, and clothed with authority, "shall not be able to gainsay nor 
resist " your mouth and wisdom : Isa. xlix. 25. And should they, 
against the strongest convictions, be permitted to cast you into 
prison, still trust in the Lord ; and he who made it go well with 
Joseph, will make it to go well with you: Gen. xxxix. 2. Be 
careful to do all that Christ says, and never fear what man does : 
John xv. 20. It is far better to suffer with Christ than take 
pleasure in sin. You may be driven very far from friends and 
home, or confined between the gloomy walls of a loathsome 
prison, still, the promise is, "From thence will the Lord thy 
God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee : " Dent. 
xxx. 4. "He bringeth out those which are bound with chains : " 
Ps. lxviii. 6. "The Lord looseth the prisoners:" Ps. exlvi. 7. 
Our blessedness consists in knowing that the word of the Lord 
abideth forever : Luke xvi. 17. 



66 OF DELIYEKAXCE FKOM FAMINE. 

"In famine he shall redeem thee from death. " — Job v. 20. 
"TTTHILE poor Job suffers the loss of all. still he glories in 

' ' the possession of all ; for though he could not say my 
oxen, my sheep, my camels, my servants, my sons, and my daugh- 
ters, as formerly, yet he could say. u ~My Becleemer liveth : " Job 
xix. 25. The belief of this, sweetened every bitter, lightened 
every cross, held his head above water, made up every loss, kept 
him from fainting, fortified his mind, and enabled him to say in 
the midst of all his troubles. •• Blessed be the name of the Lord." 
When dangers are most threatening, the Christian should be 
most believing : for though he cannot keep himself from calam- 
ity. God can keep him in calamity : Dan. iii. 17. You need not 
expect to be long free from tribulation ; but it is your privilege 
to rejoice in it : 2 Cor. vii. 1. 

Be not afraid of famine; for. let who may go without food, 
you shall be fed : Ps. xxxvii. 3. The watchful eye of the Lord 
is over all those that fear him. and hope in him : Ps. xxxiii. 18. 
19. Let it. therefore, not distress you, should your prospect of 
obtaining bread for yourself, and those dependent upon you, be 
cut off ; so long as it is written. - His bread shall be given him ; 
and his waters shall be sure : " Isa. xxxiii. 16. Let those doubt 
who have no God to go to in the time of trouble : but why should 
you doubt ? can you assign any reason why ? is not the God 
whom you serve, as well able to feed you as he was his servant 
Elijah in the wilderness, in the time of famine ? and is he not 
as willing ? You have trusted him with your soul : surely, then, 
you are not afraid to trust him with your body : Ps. xxxiv. 10. 
Do you ever recollect his suffering you to be confounded, on any 
occasion when you trusted in him ? Isa. 1. 7. Hang upon his 
promise: a in famine, 97 when desolating judgments are abroad, let 
who will fall by the hand of the destroyer, "he shall redeem thee 
from death." Cleave close to God; and depend upon his being 
close to thee. He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the 
hungry soul with goodness : Ps. cvii. 9. Although the fig-tree 
shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines : the labor 
of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat — yet, 
do you rejoice in the Lord. 



OF DELIVERANCE FROM FAMINE. 67 

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of 
the mouth of God. " — Matt. iv. 4. 

"TTTHEX Christ was in straits, the Devil did not fail to tempt 
* » him to question his sonship ; distrust his Father's love 
and care ; and as soon as he began to be hungry, look out for a 
supply ; and would have him supply himself in an unlawful way. 
Be not surprised, then, if, in your straits, you should meet with 
similar temptations ; but you have only to pursue a course similar 
to that pursued by your Lord, and the tempter will leave you : 
"It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone" &c. : Deut. viii. 3. 
It is true, kind Providence ordinarily maintains men by bread 
out of the earth : Job xxviii. 5 ; but can, when He pleases, make 
use of other means; " every word that proceedeth out of the mouth 
of God" must accomplish that which he pleases. And if God 
chooses to order anything else in lieu of bread, man will have no 
cause for complaint ; he will have as good a livelihood. If man 
has bread without the blessing of God, he will not be nourished 
by it; and if he want bread the Lord is able to nourish him some 
other way : Hag. i. 6, 9. He sustained Moses, without bread ; 
fed Israel in the wilderness, with angels' food ; and caused the 
ravens to supply Elijah. The formalist can trust God for a loaf 
while he has a barrel of flour; and has his coffers well lined; 
but the Christian trusts Him even in famine : Hab. iii. 17, 18. It 
is impossible for you to be brought into any strait by 'the provi- 
dence of God, that the God of providence cannot bring you out 
of : 2 Pet. ii. 9. The Saviour was in a wilderness, and so are you; 
he is God's Son, and so are you ; the devil was conquered by him, 
and shall be conquered for you : Eom. xvi. 20. Israel hungered, 
but God fed them. Bread is the staff of life ; but the blessing 
of God is the staff of bread. God well knows how to feed his 
children, either with or without bread. A Christian may live 
without bread; but he cannot live without God: 1 John iv. 10. 
Consider Jesus, the Captain of your salvation, lest you be weary 
and faint in your mind. A heart full of grace is better than a 
house full of bread. In the heaviest of affliction, Ave have this 
consolation, " The Lord will provide." 



68 OF DELIVERANCE FROM WAR. 

" Through God we shall do valiantly ; for He it is that shall tread down our 
enemies. ' ' — Ps. lx. 12. 

BLESSED be God for the word of his grace, the Bible, in 
which we have so many sacred and precious promises ; 
thanks be to God for his unspeakable gift, Jesus, in whom all 
those promises are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God 
by us : 2 Cor. i. 20. Here we have the saints' confidence in God, 
and in his power and promise. Observe, 

1st. The best principle of true courage is, hope in God; for 
none but God can subdue our enemies. But He can and will ; 
yea, and faith says, " He shall:" and has for its assurance the 
promises of God : Deut. xx. 4. 2d. Our confidence in God must 
not cause us to fold our hands, as though we had nothing to do; 
but should encourage and quicken our endeavors in the discharge 
of every duty. "God himself is with us for our captain: and 
he it is that performs all things for us ; yet, there is something 
to be clone by us : 2 Chron. xiii. 12. Eor, 3d. " Through God" 
through his grace assisting of us, it is, that "we shall do val- 
iantly." So that we have every encouragement to be up and 
doing. But after we have done our best, we must not depend 
upon our doings ; nor trust in our own might ; nor our own power 
for victory. For, 4th. "He it is that shall tread down our 
enemies : " and He must have the praise. No matter who fights 
against us, so long as God fights for us. Though a host may 
encamp against us, the Angel of the Lord will encamp around 
us : Ps. xxxiv. 7. Our enemies may have mighty generals with 
them, famed for shedding blood, and scattering desolation all 
around them ; but what need we fear ? " for they that be with us 
are more than they that be with them : " 2 Kin. vi. 15-17. And 
through God we shall do valiantly; and so we shall do vic- 
toriously. 

Some are so fond of war, that they make war when there needs 
none : while others will cry, " Peace" where there is none : Isa. 
lvii. 21. War and Christianity, like fire and water, cannot mix 
well together : Matt. xxvi. 52. Strive always to be at peace with 
the Prince of peace ; and then, no matter what wars are without, 
you will always have peace within. 



OF DELIVERANCE FKOM WAR. 69 

" The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the 
pulling down of strong holds. " — 2 Cor. x. 4. 

THE God of peace ; in the plentitude of his goodness, has 
scattered plenty all around for the supply of all his crea- 
tures ; but man, by war, has diffused famine and misery. Lands 
which our bountiful Donor caused to flow with milk and honey, 
have since been sprinkled with tears of hunger and distress ; 
while the fields that waved with golden grain, have been drenched 
with human blood! How desirable is it, then, to be delivered 
from the ravages of war ! Christian soldiers have to fight while 
in the flesh ; but not after the flesh ; for having made peace with 
God, through the Prince of peace, they no longer delight in war 
with man : Rom. xii. 18. But though a Christian has nothing to 
fear from man, and can no longer delight in shedding the blood 
of his fellow-beings, in consequence of being united to Christ, he 
has constantly to fight. The Christian's life is a spiritual war- 
fare ; has to do with spiritual enemies, and for spiritual purposes ; 
and hence, " The weapons of our warfare are not carnal." Ob- 
serve, 

1st. The flesh must not be gratified ; but crucified. The doc- 
trines of the gospel are the "weapons of our warfare;" and, 
though these u are not carnal" they are mighty, powerful and 
convincing ; carrying the force of truth with them to the con- 
sciences of men : Acts xxiv. 25. 

2d. It is "through God" whose institutions they are, and 
whose blessing alone insures success, that we gain the conquest ; 
for He it is which makes all opposition to fall before the weapons 
we wield. 

3d. Our enemies are strongly fortified ; being not only in, but 
are "strong-holds." Every opposition made by sin and Satan, 
ignorance, prejudice and lust in the heart, are strong-holds of the 
enemy ; and the Gospel is the means appointed to "pull them 
down; " and down they must come ; and we be brought off more 
than conquerors : Rom. viii. 37. Let us, then, no longer fear but 
fight; and, as soldiers of Christ, fight manfully the battles of 
Christ. And should circumstances, over which yon may have no 
control, lead you into war, still keep on the Lord's side, and in 
war he shall redeem thee lYoin (he power of the sword: Job v. 20. 



70 OF DELIVERANCE FEOM ENEMIES. 

* " Lord, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them 
that have no power. " — 2 Chron. xiv. 11. 

IT is allowed, even by the wicked, " They are well kept whom 
God keeps." If left to ourselves, our enemies would prove 
too many and too mighty for us ; but such is not the case : and 
we have nothing to fear from a host of them, while the Lord of 
hosts is on our side ; and his Son is at our head. Some trust in 
the strength of their arm ; but the Christian trusts in the strength 
of his God : 1 Tim. iv. 10. It is good to be well prepared ; but 
not to trust in our preparations. Enemies you may, yea, will 
have ; and be not surprised if those who ought to be your friends 
should prove themselves your enemies : such was the case with 
your dear Redeemer. His spotless life, nor benevolent actions, 
could secure to him the good-will of all ; even his friends betrayed, 
forsook, and fled from him, in his greatest extremity. If we 
live to God we have nothing to fear from man : Ps. lvi. 11. We 
have only to know that the Lord is our God ; and then, no matter 
how numerous and formidable our enemies may appear; for it 
" is nothing with Him to help, whether with many or them that 
have no power." So that you need look no longer upon your 
own weakness ; for " it is nothing " with the Lord. Your living 
to God will never prevent your having enemies ; but, on the con- 
trary, may cause many to rise up against you ; who will persecute 
you, and say all manner of evil against you, falsely ; still you 
need not fear ; for if you suffer in a righteous cause, you shall be 
delivered by a righteous God. You may be poor and powerless ; 
still it is nothing with Him to help ; your strength is in the 
Lord, who depends not upon your power ; you may have to stand 
alone ; still " it is nothing" and matters nothing, whether the 
Lord help with the many who are mighty, or with u them that 
have no power" Roll thy burden upon the Lord ; spread thy 
case and all thy cares before him ; fret not thyself because of 
those who bring wicked devices to pass. The Lord your God ye 
shall fear, and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your 
enemies : 2 Kin. xvii. 39. When the Lord helps, it is always 
with a dead-lift. Men may fight against you, but God fights for 
you : Deut. xx. 4. 




" I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee." — Page 71. 



OF DELIVERANCE FROM ENEMIES. 71 

"I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee." — Acts 
xviii. 10. 

CHBISTIAN friend, your daily work is to fight the good 
" fight of faith, and to lay hold on eternal life ; " nor will 
you ever want enemies to fight with; for should you meet with 
none from without, you may always find plenty lurking within. 
If you were of the world, you would live like the world ; and in 
consequence of the world's loving you, your enemies would be 
fewer than what they now are ; but you would have more to fear 
from them, than you now have ; for their enmity is not so much 
against you, as the God whose image you bear : John xv. 18, 19. 
And the more you strive to live to God, the more their enmity 
will increase : Bom. viii. 7. But for your comfort, observe, 

1st. The blessed assurance given ; " I am with thee" Never 
did a kind father speak with more tenderness to his dear child, 
when passing through the midst of enemies, than your heavenly 
Father here speaks to you. Bear not, " I am with thee ; " not only 
within call, but by the side of thee ; fear not the threatenings of 
thy enemies, " I am with thee " to help thee, and bless thee, sup- 
port and protect thee. Whatever the Lord in his word enjoins 
upon you, that do ; and leave all consequences with him ; seeing 
it is beneath the dignity of a heaven-born soul to fear the slaves 
of sin. You have a good warrant of protection. Men may, and 
perhaps do, set on you ; but bear in mind, 

2d. "No man shall set on thee to hurt thee." Your enemies 
might be both wicked and unreasonable, but fear neither their 
words nor their looks ; their words are but wind ; and their looks 
can do no harm ; neither have they any power against you but 
what God gives them : Acts xvii. 28. Men may greatly trouble 
you, but Father will see to it that no man shall hurt you. Trials 
you may expect daily, but they will have an end shortly. Wher- 
ever you are, never be backward to advocate the cause of Christ ; 
seeing he constantly advocates yours, and is ever with you : Matt. 
xxviii. 20. Let it be your constant study, not only to look like a 
Christian, but to live like one ; and then you will have the conso- 
lation to know, that what you do well pleases God. 



72 OF DELIVERANCE FROM EEPKOACH. 

" Thou sha/t hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man ; 
thou shaft keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues." — Ps. 
xxx i. 20. 

THE father of lies and enemy of all truth, will assuredly 
bring lying accusations against you, and the truth that you 
believe. As sure as you live a holy life, you will have proud and 
contemptuous foes : who will speak proudly against your faith, 
and sneer at your unshaken confidence. Their lying lips will be 
opened against you. It has been so from the beginning ; and that 
which was in the beginning, is now. and ever shall be. The pride 
of man lies at the bottom of every other corruption thac dwells in 
the human heart : Mark vii. 21-23. Some of the legitimate off- 
spring of pride are. self-conceit, contempt of God, and disdain of 
men : 1 Sam. xvii. 28. Calumny may spread her monster-figured 
mantle over the Christian, and reproach spread a dreary gloom 
over his mind; but when the sweet reflection visits his soul, that 
his Eedeemer cares for him. it is again sunshine to his heart ; his 
wounded spirit drinks in the heavenly balm ; while in the assur- 
ance of faith he exclaims. ■• Thou slw.lt hide me." God reserves 
his goodness for his saints : Ps. lxviii. 19 ; and preserves his 
saints for his goodness : 1 Pet. i. 5. The pride — the strife — the 
tongues of men, may endanger the liberty and life of Christians, 
but God shall -hide them." ZST either will he hide them far from 
him; but in the ••secret of his presence ; " yea. and after he has 
hid them, he will not forget them ; but keep them cheerful and 
easy in -his pavilion." where they shall have constant communion 
with him. TThat more can you desire, than the constant presence 
of God ? Ps. lxxiii. 25. TThat can hurt you. while God is your 
hiding-place ? Reproach is cruel: and the slanderer's tongue more 
to be dreaded than the dagger of the assassin : bat let it concern 
you more to know what God thinks of you. than what the u strife 
of tongues " may say of you. You may always keep a good con- 
science ; though men may give you a bad name. The servant is 
not greater than his Lord. And if men are determined to speak 
evil of you. be sure you strive to live so that nobody will believe 
them. God reads the heart ; and believes not a false report. 



OF DELIVERANCE FROM REPROACH. 73 

"Ifye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye ; for the Spirit of 
glory and of God resteth upon you : on their part he is evil spoken of, but on 
your part he is glorified. " — 1 Pet. iv. 14. 

WHERE piety lias its seat in the heart, it will be seen in the 
life ; hence, believers are the salt of the earth, to spread 
a salutary influence, and save the world from moral putrefaction. 
If, therefore, such a conduct subject you to reproach, happy are 
ye. What ! happy when reproached ? — " Why/' says the poor, 
tried believer, " it is quite a paradox." So it is, but then, it is a 
Christian paradox. "If ye be reproached for the name of Christ" 
think it not strange, as though something strange had happened 
unto you ; for there is no crime too black, for the servants of God 
to be accused of, at one time or other. If you would reign with 
Christ, you may expect to suffer for Christ : Phil. i. 29. The 
Prince of peace was accused of perverting the nation ; and can 
his followers expect to go free ? Luke xxiii. 2. The flesh finds 
it hard work to submit to reproach without reviling again ; espe- 
cially when reproached by those you may have treated kindly ; 
however you may feel to the contrary, still it is written, "happy 
are ye;" and you must not measure your religion, nor God's love 
to you, by your poor, harrowed feelings; but hang by faith on 
the promises of God. Both the best men and the best things 
are sure to meet with reproaches in the world. Jesus the Saviour 
and his followers, the Spirit of God and the Gospel of his Son, 
are all evil spoken of. But your happiness consists in the "Spirit 
of glory and of God resting upon you" And the reproaches which 
evil men cast upon you, are taken by the Spirit of God as cast 
upon himself. " On their part he is evil spoken of" whenever you 
speak of his consolations and comfortable assurances. Only let 
a child of God speak of the Spirit of adoption working in the 
children of God a filial love to God as a Father, a delight in 
him, and dependence upon him as a Father; and that the Spirit 
teaches us to approach him as a Father, and he will soon be 
spoken evil of on their part; but on "your jwt he to glorified:" 
Eom. viii. 15, 16. There are many who follow Christ while they 
can live on the loaves and fishes, who forsake 1 him when they 
meet with trials and crosses. 



74 OF DELIVERANCE FROM OPPRESSION. 

"For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will / 
arise, saith the Lord ; I will set him in safety from him that puff eth at him. " 
— Ps. xii. 5. 

THE rich have many friends ; while the poor are frequently 
oppressed, and perhaps for no other reason than because 
they are poor. Bad indeed must the times be, when oppression 
abounds, and impiety unblushingly walks without a mask, under 
the sanction of men in power. When the poor are oppressed and 
the needy crushed, and have all manner of wrong done them ; 
when they are not in a capacity to help themselves, they dare 
not speak for themselves ; lest their defence should be made 
an offence. But being thus bound down by the iron-hand of the 
oppressor, they secretly bemoan their hard lot, and ease their 
troubled hearts by sighing before God ; whose ears are ever open, 
not only to their cries, but also, to their sighs : Ps. xxxiv. 15. 
Should any one, as Moses did, speak to their oppressors in their 
behalf, and entreat them to make their burden lighter, they puff 
at them, as though it was a matter not worth any one's while 
troubling themselves about : thus making light of their own sins, 
and the wretchedness of the poor. 

Here we have an assurance that God will, in due time, under- 
take the cause, and work deliverance for the oppressed. 1st. 
iL Now, saith the Lord;" when the oppressors are in the height of 
their pride and insolence ; when the oppressed are in the depth 
of > distress and despondency, " ivill I arise : " I will arise as I did 
when Pharaoh was most elevated, and Israel most dejected: Exod. 
iii. 7-10. I will arise and do it, as sure as I have said it, when 
the set time arrives: Ps. cii. 13. 2d. " I will set him in safety;" 
burst his bonds ; restore to him his liberty ; give him prosperity ; 
and protect him ; so that he shall have no cause to complain of 
his past sufferings ; nor fear being carried back to him that now 
"puff eth at him: " Jer. xxxii. 37-44. Trust in the Lord ye sigh- 
ing-ones : " He giveth power to the faint ; and to them who have 
no might he increaseth strength : " Isa. xl. 29. Be not distressed 
at your calamities ; but submit to your lot ; resolving rather to 
die, than to sin against God: for "He shall judge the poor of the 
people, and shall save the children of the needy " 



OF DELIVERANCE FROM OPPRESSION. 75 

' ' Who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed. ' ' — 
Acts x. 38. 

CHILDKEN of calamity, let your chief concern be to love, 
adore, and trust a faithful God ; with grateful, honest 
hearts, acknowledge the benedictions of His providence ; and 
receive your afflictions at his hand, as blessings in disguise. 
Think never the worse of Christ because of those, who, in words 
profess him, but in works deny him : Titus i. 16. "If any man 
have not the Spirit of Christ," whatever his profession might be, 
"he is none of his:" Eom. viii. 9. And whoever possesses his 
Spirit, treads in his steps; are meek, lowly, humble, peaceable, 
and charitable, as he was. Observe, 

1st. The conduct of Jesus Christ ; He " went about doing good." 
He enabled the lame to walk, the blind to see, the deaf to hear ; 
the lepers he cleansed, the dead he raised, and preached the 
gospel to the poor : Matt. xi. 5. All his miracles were truly 
benevolent ; and designed to promote human comfort. Nor was 
he less mindful of the souls of men. He instructed the ignorant 
in the doctrines and duties of true religion : Luke xix. 47. He 
reproved the guilty, and warned the careless, while he encouraged 
the faithful to persevere : See Matt, xxiii. He preached deliver- 
ance to the captives, and liberty to the bruised : Luke iv. 1 8. 
He not only granted the requests of all who applied to him for 
relief, but, "he went about doing good." And to accomplish his 
merciful designs, he frequently had to endure hunger, thirst, and 
weariness. His whole life was one continued act of doing good. 

2d. His impartial benevolence ; " Healing all that were op- 
pressed." The pressing wants and painful necessities of men. 
excited his tender compassion ; while all his acts were directed 
to the glory of his Father : John viii. 49, 54. Many seek the 
praise of men, in their acts of charity ; He sought the honor of 
God; they aim at their own glory; but he at his creatures' good ; 
they are partial to a few* but he was good to all. And for the 
comfort of the oppressed, be it ever borne in mind, that what he 
once was, he now is : Heb. xiii. 8. The conduct of the oppres- 
sors is sadly at variance with the spirit of the gospel, which 
breathes pure love. 



76 OF DELIVERANCE FROM DEATH. 

" The Lord killeth and maketh alive; he bringeth down to the grave, and 
bringeth up." — 1 Sam. ii. 6. 

STUDY to keep your eye of faith fixed upon Christ, a sense 
of his love in your heart, and a hope of glory in your soul ; 
and you will be but little concerned about death. For, observe, 

1st. None die by chance ; no, not even the poor sparrow ; it is 
the Christian's God that gives to every arrow of death its com- 
mission. ••' The Lord killeth ;" so that death does no more than 
the Lord bids him; for the keys of death are kept by Christ; 
and, until he opens the gates, none can pass through them : 
Rev. i. 18. 

2d. The Lord "maketh alive;" when men are born into the 
world, it is the Lord that makes them to live ; and though we 
know not the way of the spirit, we know it proceeds from the 
Father of spirits : Eccl. xii. 7. He maketh alive : Ps. xxxi. 23. 

3d. " He bringeth down to the grave " some who have youth and 
beaut}' blooming on every feature, without, perhaps, an hours 
warning; while others gradually consume away, or, by raging 
fever have the springs of life dried up. By ways unnumbered, 
he bringeth down to the grave. And, 

4th. He -bringeth up" from the grave, those who appeared 
just ready to fall into it ; and even after the skill of the most 
skilful physician has been baffled, restores them to perfect health : 
2 Cor. i. 8-10. Why should you, then, be afraid of death ? Can 
anything be too hard for the Lord ? Is he not able to clothe and 
quicken dry bones ? Ezek. xxxvii. 1-10. You may be very sick ; 
and your sickness not be unto death. The shafts of death may 
be flying thick around you ; but not one of them can come near 
you, till appointed by your heavenly Father ; and he will never 
suffer you to die. while he sees it will be good for you to live. 
Look not upon death as an enemy; but as a messenger which 
your indulgent Father has promised to send to unlock your prison 
door, fetch you out of exile, and put it in your power to return 
to your native home, where an incorruptible inheritance awaits 
your arrival. Death may kill you ; but cannot harm you. Death 
can only let you into life, 



OF DELIVERANCE FROM DEATH. 77 

"And deliver them, who, through fear of death, were all their life-time sub- 
ject to bondage." — Heb. ii. 15. 

JACOB loved his Benjamin so well, that " his life was bound 
up in the lad's life : " Gen. xliv. 30. And Jonathan was so 
united to David, that " he loved him as he loved his own soul : " 
1 Sam. xx. 17. And such is the love of a Christian, that his life 
is bound up in the life of Jesus, who loved us better than life. 
He took upon him to avenge our wrongs ; conquered our invinci- 
ble foes ; and gained a complete victory for us, over Satan, sin, 
and death. Hence, to the Christian, it is worse than death to 
live in the fear of death. A Christian may meet the messenger 
of death with a holy serenity of mind ; bidding a holy defiance 
to death, as blessed Paul ; death where is thy sting ? because 
there is no evil in it to him ; death can never separate him from 
the love of God ; and therefore cannot be considered a real 
enemy ; true, it kills the body, but cannot touch the soul. The 
God whom you serve in life, will be with you in death ; and con- 
duct you safely through the valley of the shadow of death : Ps. 
xxiii. 4. You are not in the hands of death ; but in the hands 
of Christ ; who hath settled all disputes, and made up the breach 
that sin had made between you and God : 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. He 
died and conquered death, that he might deliver them, "who, 
through fear of death " while in life, could not enjoy the blessings 
he purchased for them, being " all their life-time subject to bond- 
age." He has often delivered you when others have fallen 
around you ; yea, and he will deliver you. Death may be riding 
in triumph, but that is no proof he will triumph over you. i( A 
thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right 
hand, but it shall not come nigh thee : " Ps. xci. 7. You have 
both life and hope in Christ ; therefore, you are safe : Rom. viii. 
38, 39. Justice demanded your life ; but Christ has fully satis- 
fied every demand, by laying down his life to take up yours : Gal. 
iii. 10, 13. And this he did, not only to deliver you from death, 
but the fear of death. Your fears are groundless ; give them to 
the winds ; for you cannot die till your work is done below, and 
death obtains permission from your Father who reigns above : 
Ps. cxvi. 15. 



CHAPTER III. 

PROMISES OF SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN THIS LIFE. 
OF JUSTIFICATION. 

'• By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall 
bear their iniquities" — Isa. liii. 11. 

THIS, indeed, is a precious promise ! Poor, sin-sick soul, the 
Spirit of truth, the blessed Comforter, here holds forth an 
infallible remedy for you to look to for peace of conscience, and 
healing of your wounded soul. Jesus, the beloved Son of God, 
took upon him your nature, without sin ; and in that nature, had 
all your sins laid upon him ; was cursed by the law ; wounded, 
bruised, and put to death by divine justice ; that, all your sins 
being found upon him : 1 Pet. ii. 24 ; you might be set at liberty : 
Gal. iii. 13 ; and your soul as perfectly healed, as though it had 
never been wounded by sin. " By his knoivledge" by the knowl- 
edge of Jesus, the " righteous servant " of God, many poor sinners 
shall be justified, who, by the law, were condemned : Gal. iii. 10. 
And why ? "for he shall bear their iniquities." Sin is a mortal 
disease ; and the soul must die of it unless it be removed ; and 
there is no way of healing the soul, without sin, the cause of the 
disease, be taken away. This has been done; the Redeemer 
" bare their iniquities " in his own body on the tree ; whose ? 
the iniquities of " many." " For, as by one man's disobedience, 
(Adam,) many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one, 
(Jesus,) shall many be made righteous : " Bom. v. 19. Hence it 
is, that Christ, standing in the sinners' stead, with their iniqui- 
ties upon him, they are freed ; while he, on whom their sins are 
found, is condemned ; for " he bare the sin of many." 



OF JUSTIFICATION. 79 

"And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye 
could not be justified by the law of Moses." — Acts xiii. 39. 

AS one leak would sink a ship, so would one sin sink a soul, 
were it not removed. We have all sinned; and the law 
curses every one who trangresses it, though it be but once : Gal. 
iii. 10 ; so that by the moral law of Moses, all are condemned : 
Eom. iii. 20 ; and our souls are too deeply stained, to be cleansed 
by the blood of bulls and goats ; which renders it impossible for 
the ceremonial law to justify us. But Jesus Christ "hath ap- 
peared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself : " Heb. ix. 26 ; 
" He bare our sins in his own body on the tree ; " fulfilled the 
law we had broken ; and is now the end of the law for righteous- 
ness, to every one that believeth : Eom. x. 4 : so that justice itself 
proclaims its own faithfulness, in forgiving and cleansing the sin- 
ner : 1 John i. 9. When Christ became our surety, all our sins, 
which he called debts, were placed to his account ; so that there 
was a complete transfer of our sins to him; " and by him all that 
believe" having his righteousness placed to their account, " are jus- 
tified;" not only pardoned, but stand in God's sight as though 
they had never known what sin was. He being " of God made 
unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemp- 
tion : " 1 Cor. i. 30. Hence, it is, u by him" and him alone, we 
are justified "from all things;" he completed his work, and fin- 
ished all that his Father gave him to do : John xvii. 4 ; and all 
that believe, know that they could never be saved by the deeds 
of the law ; but have the witness in themselves, that they are 
justified, 1 John v. 10, and that by faith in his blood, Eom. v. 1-9, 
" from all things from which they could not be justified by the 
law of Moses : " Gal. ii. 16. This is truly a marvellous way of 
saving sinners ! But it is God's way. The lovers of sin care 
nothing about it ; the proud and self-righteous reject it ; the hum- 
ble, helpless, penitent souls, rejoice in it, and give to Christ the 
glory of it. Eely upon Christ alone, make his word your rule, 
and his Spirit your guide. Try the foundation upon which your 
hopes are built. Great sins may be hid under great duties. Be- 
lieve in, and rest upon, Christ alone; and then you need not fear 
Moses, nor his law. 



80 OF JUSTIFICATION. 

1 'In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory." — 
Isa. xlv. 25. 

THEEE is nothing more natural, than for the unrenewed to 
trust in their own strength, and glory in their own righteous- 
ness. But when a poor soul becomes truly awakened, and made 
sensible of his utter helplessness ; and feels the plague of his own 
heart, his language is, " I have no confidence in the flesh." Here 
we have, 

1st. The Believer's source of justification. " In the Lord shall 
all the seed of Israel be justified." Not only all the people of 
the Jews, but also all true Christians, who depend upon Christ 
for strength and righteousness, shall be justified in him, in as 
much as they are the "seed of Israel;" a believing, upright, 
praying seed ; and on his account are justified before God : 1 Cor. 
i. 30. Thus the Lord will make good his promise to faithful 
Abraham : Gen. xxvi. 4 ; and have all justified " in the Lord : " 
Titus iii. 7. It is God that justifieth ; who is he that condemn- 
eth ? it is Christ that died : Eom. viii. 33, 34. The feeblest lamb 
in the flock of Christ, is equally dear to the Lord as the strongest 
believer. 

2d. The great duty of believers is, to glory in the Lord ; and 
make all their boast of him. The work is the Lord's ; no man can 
renew himself : Job xiv. 4 ; nor atone for himself : Eom. iii. 19, 
20 ; nor keep himself : 1 Pet. i. 5. From first to last, the work be- 
longs to God ; and the least that we can do, is, whilst we are en- 
joying the profits, to let him have all the " glory." Your being weak 
in faith, and feeling the workings of carnal nature, human reason, 
and unbelief, is no proof that you are not justified in the Lord ; 
but, on the contrary, are evidences of the soul being alive 
through the faith of Jesus. And the same Spirit who begets 
faith in the heart by the word of truth, James i. 18, will also 
strengthen your faith by the same ; for Jesus delights in making 
all his members happy, as well as secure. And God has pawned 
his faithfulness for the security of his goodness : Ezek. xxxiii. 11. 
What more can he say, or do, than what lie has said and done ? 
Who was it convinced you of your sins, but the very God against 
whom you have sinned ? and who now declares, that " all the 
seed of Israel shall be justified." 



OF JUSTIFICATION. 81 

" Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our 
Lord Jesus Christ" — Rom. v. 1. 

&OD created man in his own image ; wise, holy, and happy ; 
and made him lord of all that was in the air, earth, and 
sea : Gen. i. 27, 28 : and, as his rightful Sovereign, gave him just 
such a law as seemed him good : Gen. ii. 15-17. Man violated 
that law, the penalty of which was death. "Wherefore, as by 
one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so 
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned : " Eom. v. 12. 
And sin being a trangression of the law, 1 John iii. 4, brought 
all under a curse ; but " Christ hath redeemed us from the curse 
of the law, being made a curse for us : " Gal. iii. 10, 13. " There- 
fore" on this account, Christ having been delivered up for our 
offences, and raised again for our justification; by the merit of 
his death he paid our debt; in his resurrection he took our 
acquittance; when in the grave he lay as our surety under an 
arrest : on the third day a messenger was sent to roll away the 
stone ; the prisoner was discharged, and full proof given thereby, 
that he had made satisfaction. So that it is not for our works, 
but by an obedient dependence upon Jesus Christ and his right- 
eousness, that we are saved. Therefore, " being justified by faith" 
as Abraham, whose faith was accounted to him for righteousness : 
Kom. iv. 22; all guilt is taken away. Sin made us to quarrel 
with God ; and filled our hearts with enmity to him : Eom. 
viii. 7. But, by faith, we who are without strength, take hold 
on God's arm, rely on his strength, and so are at peace with him : 
Isa. xxvii. 4, 5. Hence, "we have peace with God;" and nothing 
but friendship and loving kindness exists. When Abraham be- 
came justified by faith, God was pleased to call him his friend : 
James ii. 23. Jesus called his disciples friends : John xv. 13-15 ; 
and what more can any one desire than to have God for his 
friend ? But all this blessedness comes "through our Lord Jesus 
Christ:" he is the only peace-maker, peace-bringer, and peace- 
giver j and the only way of access to God: John xiv. 6. And is 
now our Mediator between God and man: 1 Tim. ii. 5. Hence, 
God is the source, Jesus the Author, faith the means, and peace 
the fruit, of our justification. 



82 OF PARDON OF SIN. 

" Who forgiveth all thy iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases." — Ps. 
ciii. 3. 

SIN" is the soul's disease ; and its effects on the soul greatly 
resemble the effects of disease on the body. The nature of 
this disease is truly deplorable, and can never be cured by the art 
of man. Observe, 

1st. Sin is a moral disease. It affects mankind as moral and 
responsible creatures ; it has destroyed original purity ; driven 
happiness from our world; and in its place introduced misery 
and affliction. It has darkened the understanding, perverted the 
will, defiled the conscience, and alienated the affections from God : 
Eph. iv. 18. 2d. It is a universal disease. Every power, pas- 
sion, and faculty, of body and soul, are disordered by it ; and its 
baneful influence has spread through the whole mass of mankind, 
in every nation and clime. The whole head is sick, and the 
whole heart is faint: Isa. i. 5, 6. From the greatest monarch, 
to the meanest peasant, all have felt its effects : Ps. li. 5. 3d. 
Sin is a mortal disease. It brings death with unnumbered woes 
attending in its train. All men by it are rendered subject to 
pain and dissolution of body: Gen. iii. 19. It brings spiritual 
death to the soul, and separates between God and man : Eph. ii. 
1-3. While its wages is death : Eom. vL 23. And vain is the 
help of man. 

Behold the goodness of our God ! He against whom we have 
sinned has undertook our case ; and appointed Jesus Christ a 
Physician, for the cure of "all our diseases" and maladies : Luke 
iv. 18, 19. And he is, 1st. An accessible Physician. All are in- 
vited to him, with the assurance of being admitted : John vi. 37. 
2d. He is an infallible Physician. Xone are too sick for him to 
cure: no case with him is desperate: Heb. vii. 25. And 3d. He 
is the only appointed Physician. All others are but quacks ; and 
their prescriptions dangerous ; " for there is none other under 
heaven given among men whereby we must be saved : " Acts iv. 
12. 4th. He is a benevolent Physician, and performs all his cures 
gratis ; " without money and without price," all are invited to 
come and be healed : Matt. xi. 28, 29. It is the very nature of 
God to be full of compassion and tenderness ; and the believer 
knows, that He forgiveth their iniquities. 



OF PAEDON OF SIN. 83 

"/ will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniqui- 
ties will I remember no more." — Heb. viii. 12. 

SAD experience daily teaches the believer in Jesus, that, though 
he cannot live in sin, he feels sin living in him: Bom. vii. 
23. And this corrupt fountain is too frequently sending forth its 
polluted streams, to the great annoyance of our souls. It is the 
Christian's greatest trouble to be annoyed by sin; and his un- 
speakable comfort to know that God has always delighted in par- 
doning sin ; and that he still makes himself known, as the " Lord 
God, gracious and merciful." Listen to him ! He declares, 

1st. " I will be merciful:" neither shall the greatness of their 
crimes, nor the censures of man prevent it : I will freely pardon ; 
not on account of any worth or merit on their part ; I will, for my 
mercies' sake, " be merciful to their unrighteousness : " Isa. i. 18. 
" And their sins" let them be of what kind soever they may, yea, 
though they may be great sins, foul sins, aggravated sins, even 
all unrighteousness, shall be forgiven and forgotten. I will be 
merciful, for I am God ; " keeping mercy for thousands ; " and 
delight in forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin : " Exod. xxxiv. 
7. 2d. " I will," not only forgive, but forget ; for " their sins and 
their iniquities ivill I remember no more" What tongue can de- 
scribe the blessings connected with pardoning mercy ? Sin calls 
aloud for vengeance ; pardon prevents it ; sin makes way for every 
evil ; pardon opens a door for every good ; sin brings wretchedness 
and death ; pardon brings happiness and life : Bom. vi. 23 ; 1 Pet. 
i. 2, 3. 

Poor, trembling Christian, be assured of it, thy enemies are all 
conquered; notwithstanding, every day's experience convinces 
thee they are not all dead. Sin is a bitter enemy, and so nearly 
allied to thee, thou mayest consider it a part of thyself; yet, 
being one with thy Saviour, thou hast a spiritual life in him; and 
almighty power is engaged in thy defence; so that sin shall not 
have dominion over thee: Bom. vi. 14. But never think of 
sheathing thy sword, and folding thy hands, lost Satan gain an 
advantage over thee ; for thou art still in the cam}), surrounded by 
enemies, and thy only dependence is upon thy Captain. 



84 OF PARDON OF SIN. 

"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord ; though your sins 
be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow ; though they be red like crimson, 
they shall be as wool." — Isa. i. 18. 

" /~^OME," sinner, just as you are, with all your guilt and 
V_y consequent wretchedness; though deeply stained with 
crime, and weltering in your blood ! " Come" I have opened a 
fountain for sin and uncleanness, in which you can wash and be 
cleansed: Zech. xiii. 1. But do not delay; for the longer you 
stay away the worse you will get; therefore "come now;" and 
your being a great sinner will afford me an opportunity of prov- 
ing to you, that I am a greater Saviour : Matt. ix. 12. Do not 
listen to my enemies, nor reason with flesh and blood, nor hold 
any conference with Satan, for he is your accuser ; but " let us" 
who are the only parties properly concerned, "reason together;" 
let us debate the matter fairly and fully; and then, I have no 
doubt but you will acknowledge all my ways to be right: Ps. 
cxlv. 17. My ungrateful enemies represent me as a " hard mas- 
ter;" and would persuade you that you are a sinner too great for 
me to pardon ; and thus fill thy poor soul with legal fears, and 
slavish dread; but hearken not unto them. True, thou hast 
broken my righteous law; but I have redeemed thee from the 
curse of the law: Gal. iii. 10-13; and thou hast destroyed thy- 
self, but in me is thy help: Hos. xiii. 9. It is true, thou hast 
committed crimes of the most flagrant nature, deep "as scarlet" in 
their dye ; but let not that keep thee from me; all are atoned for; 
and "they shall be white as snow" You may be ready to say you 
have lain so long in your sins, and so steeped in guilt, that you 
are dyed, even "like crimson" All that is true ; but the blood of 
my Son, Jesus, cleanses from all sin, and will change them all to 
the most perfect whiteness : yea, they shall be " white as snow, 
and ivool" Do not doubt ; for though I am just, I am the justi- 
fier of him that believeth in Jesus : Eom. iii. 26. Come, and be 
made happy in my love ; I am just in forgiving thy sins : 1 John 
i. 9. Leave behind you all your duties, humblings, and holiness, 
and come to me with all your sins, guilt, and wretchedness ; and 
prove that I am able and willing to pardon, cleanse, and bless 
you ; but " come noiv." 



OF PARDON OF SIN. 85 

"Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you 
rest" — Matt. xi. 28. 

THE carnal Jews labored hard to recommend themselves to 
God, by the observance of various rites and ceremonies : 
Eom. x. 3. And, in the days of Jesus, bound still heavier bur- 
dens upon the shoulders of others, than they themselves were 
willing to bear, and which Christ calls a "yoke." And, it is to 
be lamented, there are still those who are called Christians, who 
are no less sanguine in their expectations of being saved by 
their own endeavors ; hence, they toil and labor to cancel their 
debt, and atone for their sins ; and thus obtain that heaven they 
are conscious they have forfeited ; not knowing that Jesus is the 
only way to the Father : John xiv. 6. 

Do thy corruptions harass thee ? do sinful passions annoy 
thee ? do temptations beset thee ? are thy sins a burden to thee ? 
Hark ! Thy Saviour speaks to thee. He calls thee to him. 
Listen to, 

1st. His gracious invitation, " Come unto me." He pities your 
condition ; and, after all you have done, kindly invites you to 
himself. There can be no mistake ; it is you he calls ; he means 
you, it is evident, for he describes your condition. "Come unto 
me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden;" your burden is heavy, 
but I am both able and willing to bear it ; cast it upon me : Ps. 
lv. 22. Come, and bring nothing with you but your burden and 
miseries ; all your tugging and toiling is in vain ; your load 
becomes heavier, and you grow weaker by keeping away. Come, 
I am your Saviour: Luke xix. 10; your friend: John xv. 15; 
and will in no wise cast you out : John vi. 37. 

2d. The blessing promised, " / will give you rest." Did T ever 
give you any cause to doubt my willingness ? Why not come, 
then? Doubt no more; believe, and thou shalt be saved: Mark 
xvi. 15. My name is Jesus ; and my delightful business is, to 
save sinners from their sins : Matt. i. 21. " / will " not only 
"give you rest" now^ but shall be pleased to have you call upon 
me at any future period. I will use all my influence in Court 
on your behalf ; and whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my 
name, that will I do: John xiv. L3, 11. 



86 OF PARDON OF SIN. 

"Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth ; for I am God, 
and there is none else." — Isa. xlv. 22. 

^XTEYER was there a sensible sinner half so willing to be 
-LN saved, as the God against whom he has sinned is to save 
him : Ezek. xxxiii. 11. " The Lord is not willing that any should 
perish ; but that all should come to repentance : " 2 Pet. iii. 9. 
How long, fellow-sinner, will you ponder over those things within 
and around you, instead of looking to what is above you ? From 
the pride of our nature, and the unbelief of our hearts, we are 
prompted to think of doing something to procure the favor of 
God, forgetting that our loving God is not the cause, but the 
effect of his love to us : 1 John iv. 19. Close your ears to carnal 
reason, and unbelief ; and attend to the gracious invitation here 
given, by a gracious God. 

" Look unto me" I am the God whose laws you have broken, 
and whose goodness you have despised ; but let that not prevent 
your looking unto me. Sorrow not as though you had no hope ; 
but "look unto me, and be ye saved" You have no sin but what 
has been atoned for by my well-beloved Son ; you need no per- 
fection but what his righteousness supplies. I love you, and am 
well pleased with you for his sake. Think not that my mercy 
is limited : for unto me shall all flesh come : Ps. lxv. 2. There- 
fore, "look unto me, all ye ends of the earth" for I will be exalted 
among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth : Ps. xlvi. 10. 
" I have sworn by myself, the word has gone out of my mouth 
in righteousness, that unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue 
shall confess : " Ver. 23. " For I am God, and there is none else" 
so fit to rule ; nor so able to save ; for I am a just God and a Sav- 
iour : Ver. 21. Do not pacify your troubled conscience by external 
performances ; for that would be mistaking the means of grace 
for grace itself. Many have fled to me for refuge, and have laid 
hold of the hope I set before them : Heb. vi. 18. But, should 
you be so heavily laden with guilt that you cannot fly, run with 
patience the race set before you; and if you are so oppressed 
that you cannot run, walk in the way marked out for you ; and 
if you are too feeble to walk, then "look unto me, and be ye 
saved." 



OF PARDON OF SIN. 87 

"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." — Matt. v. 4. 

GOD is no respecter of persons : Acts x. 34 ; yet hath he 
respect nnto the lowly : Ps. cxxxviii. 6. Many make them- 
selves miserable, in striving to make themselves comfortable ; and 
in endeavoring to make themselves righteous, fall short of the 
righteousness of God : Eom. x. 3. To know ourselves to be lost 
and undone sinners, destitute of righteousness, to be feelingly 
alive to a sense of our condition, and to believe that all we need 
is in Christ, lies at the very foundation of true godliness. To 
desire salvation from sin in God's way, and to mourn after it, is 
peculiar to the quickened soul ; for the dead mourn not ; neither 
are they capable of receiving comfort. What more could the 
Saviour say to comfort those who " mourn " on account of their 
sins, than here he has said ? 

1st. He does not say they shall be blessed; but "blessed are 
they" even now. Do you ask, why is it that you cannot feel 
happy, if you are now blessed ? The reason is, because you do 
not believe ; and you cannot receive it but by faith ; for it is by 
grace you are saved through faith, as the means : Eph. ii. 8. 
That faith which unites the sinner to the Saviour, is God's gift ; 
but you must ask it of him, and he will give it to you : Matt. vii. 
7. He will also give you power to exercise it ; but will not be- 
lieve for you; no, that is your act, to believe: John i. 12. Neither 
can you be happy so long as you keep on believing that he icill 
bless you; for by so doing you will always keep the blessing 
ahead of you : Matt. xxi. 22. Believe what God says, that you 
"are blessed/' even now; for the Lord's time is now : 2 Cor. vi. 2. 
Doubt no more. For, 

2d. He declares you "shall be comforted;" as sure as mourning 
goes before comfort, so sure does comfort follow mourning. Give 
God your whole heart ; and he will give you a whole Saviour ; 
love is in his heart, though wrath may appear in his conduct : 
Isa. liv. 8. Nature, sense, and feeling, write bitter things against 
you, while your Saviour loves you. 0, how infinite his love ! 
his salvation, how complete ! his presence, how cheering ! his 
promises, how precious ! 



88 TO BACKSLIDERS. 

"/ will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely." — Hosea xiv. 4. 

EETTJEN unto the Lord thy God; for thou hast fallen by 
thine iniquity : Ver. 1. Instigated by the enemy of your 
soul, and prompted by your natural corruptions, in an unguarded 
hour, you turned your back upon your best, your only real friend; 
who, though you have acted so base a part, is not willing to give 
you up; but still calls after, and invites you to return. Satan 
may suggest, that it is of no use your thinking of ever obtain- 
ing a sense of your Father's forgiving love again; for you are 
too great a sinner for God to forgive ; seeing you have not only 
sinned against your own soul, but have crucified the Son of God 
afresh, and put him to an open shame. It is true, you are a 
great sinner, a backsliding sinner ; and all such are the worst of 
sinners ; yea, and the Lord knows it ; but so far from upbraiding 
or threatening you on account of it is he, that he now invites and 
urges upon you to return. Are you now praying God to take 
away all your iniquity? He says, "Izvill:" Jer. iii. 22. You 
say, I am deeply wounded ; the Lord says, " I ivill heal." Your 
soul may be badly diseased, but then, it is not incurable ; and the 
greater the disease, the more need of a Physician : Matt. ix. 12. 
The Lord here declares your case is not hopeless, and that you 
may safely rely upon his goodness ; and trust to him for a sound 
cure. " I ivill heal their bacJcslkUngs." Do you desire that the 
Lord would receive you graciously ? For your comfort, he 
assures you, that he will not only do that, but u uriU love you 
freely" He will love you just as though there had never been 
anything amiss on your part: Titus iii. 5. He will heal your 
backslidings by applying pardoning mercy-; receive you gra- 
ciously, as a tender father would a long-lost son : and love you 
freely as he did before you strayed. Go, poor, backslidden soul, 
go at thy Maker's call ; parley not with the enemy ; he has lied 
to thee formerly ; and will do it again, if you will lend him your 
ears. Your having wandered from God has made no change in 
him ; He is the same gracious and loving God now he ever was ; 
do your first works, return unto him, stay with him, he will heal 
your wounds, and love you freely. 



TO BACKSLIDERS. 89 

"All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men." — Matt, 
xii. 31. 

SIN is our hell : but Jesus, the Lamb of God, taketh away our 
sin ; then we have heaven within us : and to know, believe 
in, follow and obey him, constitutes our greatest happiness in 
this life. Do not be discouraged ; but suffer me to tell you 
in God's name, and in Christ's stead, 2 Cor. v. 20, that though 
your sins may arise like mountains, and your crimes be piled to 
the very heavens, mercy is as free for you as the air you breathe : 
Matt. ix. 13. The enemy will, no doubt, suggest, that you have 
committed the " unpardonable sin ; " that you have sinned against 
so much light, sinned with so high a hand, slighted so much 
goodness, grieved the Spirit of God so often, resisted so many 
convictions, treated with contempt so many offers of grace, and, 
both in word and deed, done all that in you lay to oppose the 
cause of religion, so that now it would only be an act of presump- 
tion even to attempt to seek, or hope for mercy. But believe him 
not; he is now as he ever was, "a liar from the beginning." 
Your Saviour says, " all manner of sin," though ever so heinous 
in its nature, though committed under the most aggravating 
circumstances, though ever so often repeated, and though ever so 
long continued, there is mercy with God that can reach it ; yea, 
"and blasphemy" a sin which strikes directly at the name and 
honor of God, "shall be forgiven" Mind that. Paul was at one 
time a blasphemer ; yet he obtained mercy : 1 Tim. i. 13. Peter 
obtained mercy, after so awfully denying his Lord ; and so will 
you, if you but ask it ; and then you will be ready to say, " who 
is a God like unto thee, pardoning iniquity?" Micah vii. 18. 
" All manner of sin shall be forgiven unto men ; " all men, of all 
ranks and conditions. This is love, boundless love ; love to the 
whole world : 1 John ii. 2. Cheer up ; look at yourself as a 
sinner : but look at Christ as a Saviour. Praise God, that he 
kept it out of your power to commit one sin that he could not 
pardon. The Spirit of God is still striving with you; or you 
would not be so concerned about your soul's salvation ; follow his 
instructions ; " go in peace, and sin no more." 



90 OF SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST. 

" He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities ; 
the chastisement of our peace was upon him ; and with his stripes we are 
healed " — Isa. liii. 5. 

~TT7~ELL may tlie apostle Paul say, " the love of Christ passeth 
' » knowledge : " Eph. iii. 19 ; for he was born unto us : Isa. 
ix. 6 ; gave himself for us : Eph. v. 2 ; was delivered up for us : 
Rom. viii. 32; and here we are told, he was ivounded — bruised 
— chastised — and striped. But why so cruelly treat him ? what 
harm hath he done ? No harm ; neither was guile ever found in 
his mouth : 1 Pet. ii. 22. His whole life was one continued act 
of benevolence. He " went about doing good : " Acts x. 38. Do 
you ask again, for what, then, did he suffer all this ? For our 
transgressions ; and for our iniquities, was he thus ivounded and 
bruised ; to atone for them, and purchase salvation for us : 2 Cor. 
v. 21. When man had sinned, and by his transgression ruined 
himself and all his posterity, the adorable Jesus became his 
surety, stood up for the human family, and engaged in their 
behalf. And, consequently, all our debts, our iniquities, were 
imputed to, and laid upon him ; "he bore them in his own body 
on the tree : " 1 Pet. ii. 24 ; and the very wounds, and bruises, 
that we had merited, he had inflicted upon him. And having put 
away our sins, by the sacrifice of himself, God can be as just in 
saving the sinner, as he was in afflicting the Saviour : Eom. iii. 
25, 26. Thus it is that mercy triumphs, grace reigns, sinners are 
saved, and saints rejoice. " There is therefore now no condemna- 
tion to them which are in Christ Jesus \ n no ; where there is no 
sin there can be no guilt : Eom. viii. 1. The believer knows that 
his sins have been laid upon Jesus ; therefore, God doth not 
impute them to the sinner ; but to the Saviour : and accounts, or 
imputes, righteousness to us on the Saviour's account : Kom. 
iv. 6-8. True, thou hast committed sins innumerable ; but it is 
equally true, that Jesus hath been wounded, and bruised for 
them; and since thy surety has suffered in thy stead, thou art 
free. Hence flows thy peace, thy holiness, thy heaven. Christ 
was wounded, to cure our wounds ; bruised, to restore us to sound- 
ness ; chastised, that ice might go free ; and striped, that ice 
might be healed. 



OF SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST. 91 

"Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under 
heaven given among men whereby we must be saved." — Acts iv. 12. 

THE cause of condemnation is sin; the blood of Jesus Christ 
cleanses from all sin : 1 John i. 7 ; and he having by the 
grace of God tasted death for every man : Heb. ii. 9 ; is the 
Saviour of all men, especially of those that believe : 1 Tim. iv. 10. 
" Neither is there salvation in any other ; M for, no form, no creed, 
no sect, no party, can avail us anything ; but faith in Jesus, which 
works by love, will purify the heart, and avail us much : Gal. v. 
6. "For there is none other name than that of Jesus, under 
heaven given among men," that can be of any saving benefit to us. 
We, as sinners, have destroyed ourselves ; and have not the least 
ability to save ourselves : Hos. xiii. 9. But our dear Saviour has 
done the work completely ; he made full satisfaction to law and 
justice ; freed us from sin and death ; and restores unto us our 
forfeited peace with God. You may feel the remains of corrupt 
nature still lurking within; and which, too frequently, appear 
without, causing grief to your soul ; but be of good courage, and 
pray against those corruptions of the heart ; resting assured, that 
sin shall not have dominion over you; for we are no longer 
under the law, but under grace. " What then ? shall we sin, 
because we are not under the law, but under grace ? God for- 
bid ! " Rom. vi. 14, 15. Jesus is the name that cheers our hearts, 
and bids our fears begone ; it is the only name "tvhereby ye mast 
be saved." There is none other ; neither do we want any other ; 
for that name is great, both in heaven and under heaven : Matt, 
xxviii. 18. He had this u name given among men;" sinful men, 
lost men, men that he came to save ; for his business into the 
world was, to seek, and to save, that which was lost : Luke xix. 
10. And it is certain, that he did not return without finishing 
his work : John xvii. 4 ; xix. 30. Stephen died calling upon this 
name: Acts vii. 60; Paul prayed, and received answers to his 
prayers, in this name : 2 Cor. xii. 8, 9 ; and so have millions ; and 
so will millions more : Eom. x. 11-13. He trod the winepress 
alone ; and he saves alone. His righteousness alone, will ride 
triumphant ; all the rest must come tumbling down. 



92 OF SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST. 

"/// that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to 
the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and uncleanness. n — Zech. xiii. 1. 

"TTTE have a beautiful metaphor here in the term "fountain" 

* ' to represent the mediatorial character of Christ ; as the 
source and medium of salvation to the human family. The 
prophet evidently testifies beforehand, " the sufferings of Christ, 
and the glory that should follow." Observe, 

1st. It is not a wasting stream that is here spoken of ; but a 
"fountain" ever-flowing, never-failing ; always yielding full sup- 
plies for every demand. Enough for all; both to pacify and 
purify : John iv. 14. 

2d. Mark the freeness of God's grace : it is not a fountain 
sealed, nor confined to a few favored individuals ; but a fountain 
" opened." None are forbidden ; but all are invited ; and whoever 
will may come and welcome : Eev. xxii. 17. 

3d. This fountain was virtually opened in the original plan of 
redemption ; according to God's gracious designs : Eev. xiii. 8. 
And in due time, the plan of reconciliation was announced to the 
world, and the fountain of grace gradually opened and revealed, in 
the various promises made to the patriarchs, and inspired predic- 
tions of the holy prophets ; and shadowed forth by the ceremo- 
nial law under the Mosaic dispensation. And was actually opened 
in the mediatorial work of the Eedeemer, " in that day " when he 
had finished the work of man's redemption : Heb. i. 1-3. 

4th. We are told to whom it was opened. To the Jews Christ 
was promised, and to them he came as his own people after the 
flesh ; but his own received him not : John i. 11. But the bless- 
ings of this fountain, (the Eedeemer,) were not to be confined to 
the " house of David, nor to the inhabitants of Jerusalem : " He 
was sent to be " a light to the Gentiles, and for salvation to the 
ends of the earth : " Acts xiii. 47. 

5th. The purpose for which it was opened; "for sin and 
uncleanness" A new and living way is here opened to guilty, 
polluted man : Ps. lxxxv. 10. Such an one as was typified by the 
sacrifices, foretold by the prophets, and accomplished when Jesus 
was wounded for us. 



OF SALVATION THROUGH CHRIST. 93 

"In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins." 
— Eph. i. 7. 

HEARKEN, my beloved, "hear what God the Lord will 
speak; for he will speak peace unto his people, and to 
his saints : " Ps. lxxxv. 8. Here are no if s, buts, nor may-bes ; 
but the certainty and assurance of God's free love to sinners ; 
in and through his " well-beloved Son." "In whom" that is, 
in Jesus,, "we" who had sold ourselves for naught: Isa. lii. 3; 
"have redemption;" are bought back, ransomed, recovered from 
the ruin of our fall, and reinstated in our former possessions and 
enjoyments. Such as, 

1st. Acceptance with God : who, " to the praise of the glory 
of his grace, hath made us accepted in the Beloved : Eph. i. 6. 

2d. Conformity to the glorious image of God. "In the day 
that God created man, in the likeness of God made he him:" 
Gen. v. 1 ; both righteous and holy ; consequently happy. Sin 
greatly defaced that image ; but in Christ we have that image 
of our Maker restored ; for what we lost in the first Adam, we 
have redeemed by our second Adam : 2 Cor. v. 18. 

3d. Fellowship with God. Adam had it ; but lost it by trans- 
gression. Christ has bought it back; and now, we, through 
believing in him, " have fellowship with the Father, and with 
his Son Jesus Christ : " 1 John i. 3. 

4th. Adoption into the family of God. "For through him 
(Christ) we both (Jews and Gentiles) have access unto the Father 
by one Spirit:" Eph. ii. 18. Happy those who have embraced 
the Saviour as he is freely offered in the gospel. For " to them 
gave he power to become the sons of God:" John i. 12. "Be- 
loved, now are we the sons of God : " 1 John iii. 2. " And if 
children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ : " 
Rom. viii. 17. 

5th. Freedom from the curse under which we lay. For, " Christ 
hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse 
for us : " Gal. iii. 13. 

6th. All this recovery, or redemption, is without money. 
"We have redemption through his blood;" the precious blood 
of the Lord Jesus Christ: 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. 



H adopt: 

" Thou, Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer: thy name is from everir- 
ing.'' — Isa. Lriii. 16. 

T 1 /UKN sinners become sensible, a sight of their own naked- 

»1 ness and poverty would make them truly miserable, were 

it not that righteousness > i ealed as God ? s unspeakable gift 

by Jesns Christ. Grace reigns through his righteousness : and 

we enjoy the knowledge and comfort that we are counted right- 

- Through faith in him: Eom. iv. 6. Adoption, in a scriptural 

is 

1st. National; whereby God takes a whole people under his 
special care and government, and bestows rdinanees and other 
privileges upon them as his visible church. This adoption, for 
about 1500 years, pertained only to the Jews : Eom. ix. 4. 

2d. Spiritual; in which sinful men. by nature children of 
wrath : Eph. ii. 3 : are. upon their receiving Christ, by faith, as 
their Saviour, taken into the special favor of God : John i. 12; 
have spiritual communion with him, and are entitled to all his 
promi- BS, salvation and glory, as their everlasting inheritance: 
4. And. as his children, they are loved, taught, 
governed, corrected, protected, helped, and provided for by him. 
This adoption all true believers have received; and have the 
Holy Spirit bearing witness with their spirits, that they are the 
children of God: Eom. viii. 15-17 And having the Spirit of 
Christ in their hearts, they are enabled to say 7 Lord, 
art our F ' : and knowing that their salvation 

is of God. they gratefully acknowledge him as their Eedeemer : 
Titos iii 5 Eph. ii. 8, 9. 

3d. Glorious; in which, at the last great day. they shall all 
be acknowledged to be the sons of God : 1 John iii. 2. And it 
is for this adoption the saints now wait : Eom. viii. 2 

Whatever God has made himself known to us by. that is his 
ich as. L: . , truth, &e. : and every 

believer will say, - Thy name is from everlasting : " Heb. i. 10-12 
It is the unspeakable privilege of the Christian to approach God, 
not as an angry Judge, but as a kind Father : not as a haughty 
tyrant, but gracious Eedeemer : Isa. xli. 14. What can we desire 
more than such a Father and Eedeemer ? 



OF ADOPTIOX. 95 

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we 
should be called the sons of God /" — 1 John iii. 1. 

BEHOLD ! Look ! Observe ! Do see ! " what manner of love I " 
Love without a parallel ! " the Father " of lights, from 
whom every good descends, "hath bestowed" graciously given to, 
and conferred "upon us" who have been so ungrateful, so base, so 
undeserving, " that we " — we sinners — we rebels — we children 
of wrath — we cursed — we aliens — that "we should be called the 
sons of God" What boundless love ! and amazing condescen- 
sion ! It is God who calls us sons ; and he never mis-calls any- 
thing ; we may therefore rest assured we are sons ; and he is not 
ashamed to be called our Father. The Father bestowed the Son 
upon us : 1 John iv. 9, 10 ; and the Son bestowed himself, and 
hath redeemed us : 1 Tim. ii. 6 ; and made us his brethren : 
Heb. ii. 17 ; and the Father hath adopted us, and made us his 
sons : Rom. viii. 15-17. Love like this demands our soul — our 
life — our all. So fond is the Father of his children, that he 
calls them all by his own name : Rev. iii. 12 ; he gives them every 
good thing to enjoy here : 1 Tim. vi. 17 ; and he lays up an abun- 
dance for them hereafter : Ps. xxxi. 19. 

The happiness and privileges of the " sons of God " are great 
beyond description ; for, though they have a greater share of suf- 
fering than other men, they have blessings and consolations to 
which all others are entire strangers ; and what they enjoy while 
in this life, is not to be compared to the honors and enjoyments 
that await them when they come of age : 1 Cor. ii. 9. Let us 
remember that God is our everlasting Father ; who has begotten 
himself in us, and we in himself. His light, his love, his wis- 
dom, his power, his strength, is in us : John i. 16. This is but a 
very faint view of the inestimable love, riches, honor, and glory, 
bequeathed to ruined sinners by New Testament love ; ratified and 
sealed by the blood of Jesus, our elder Brother. How ought this 
view of God's love to fill our hearts with gratitude, fire our souls 
with ecstasy, and loose our tongues to praise him who hath so 
loved us! The love of the Father flows to us through the heart 
of our dear Jesus. Surely, then, it is a great honor to be a son 
of God ! Let us live as such. 



M»« fmtker to tsraef, a»d Ephnaim ts my first-he 

s 

all who 
are bon y are 

the : Vll such are the adopted of 

I the Eunih :;:. 15; 

and - If to _ 

s 

' 4: " 

made n ge in our 

ship. Tl e freqi; :ship in 

:n which he 
:urn our 

.ider from him, after his 

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g DDL impossi restores, who 

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a it be | ssibl 

from 
him and despise 

Yes. Ephraim has 
a among - 
and : , 

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is - gotten Soi 

L i, 14. 15; whom, and 

y --.-■-. - 

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i, 12, tied. 

should 

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OF ADOPTION. 1)7 

" Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." — On I. iii l z ( '>. 

GREAT and manifold are the blessings and privileges of all 
believers in God's dear Son ; they are no Longer counted a i 
transgressors^ foreigners, aliens, servants; but sons. Observe, 

1st. The persons here spoken of, nc; ye .lows, who have I 
liad the form of godliness without the power; ye Gentiles, who 
so long had neither form nor power; ye apostate sinners, who, o 
recently, were haters of God, despisers of his law, rebels against 
his righteous government. Ye who have been \o fcrongly in 
league with sin, death, and hell, look back, and mourn <> 
you have been; but look now, and rejoice at what ye now are. 
Behold what grace has done for yet For, 

2d. "Ye ara all the children of Godl" Strange alteration, 
indeed ! However, it is true;; and ye have all a just claim to .-ill 
the privileges of children. Hence, you may approach God as 
your kind Father at all times, and under every circumstance; 
without the least fear of meeting with a disappointment. In 
difficulty, he will direct you: James L5; in danger, a cele 
soldier guards you: Ps. xxxiv. 7; in the time of trial, he will 
support you: Ps. 1. 22; when you pass through afflictions, he 
will accompany you: Ps. xliii. 2; from trouble lie will del 
you: Ps. 1. 15; in every condition, his grace is sufficient: 2 Cor. 
xii. 9; in death, he will be with you : 1',. xxiii. 1 ; and in eternity 
you shall be with him: John xiv. 3; and no morta] knows, what 
truly great and. good things he has laid up for his children, on 
their arrival at home : 1 Cor. ii. 1). 

84 This is obtained, riot on the ground of Lnnocency, or good 
works; but u by fait h : " that faith that neither dictate to, nor 
cavils at, the word of God ; but approaches the Bible to inquire 
what it teaches; and promptly obeys what I commands; 

and claims all which he has promised. G< his Son for 

you; the Spirit gave faith foyou; hence Je u became precious 
In your eyes: 1 Pet. ii. 7; and ye became "the children of God 

by faith in Christ Jesus." 

4th. In Christ, and him alone you claim these privilege 



98 OF FEEE ACCESS TO GOD. 

" The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon 
him in truth." — Ps. cxlv. 18. 

SIXCERE, upright souls, are aware, that they have to do with 
a God who searches the heart, and tries the reins of the 
children of men ; to him they appeal, desire to be tried by, and 
have everything removed that would be offensive to him : Ps. 
cxxxix. 23, 24 Observe, 

1st. "The Lord is nigh;'' never out of call; but always at 
hand ; and if a neighbor that is nigh, is better than a brother afar 
off, how great must be the privilege of those who have God 
always nigh ! Isa. xli. 10. The Lord is no respecter of persons. 
Eor, 

2d. He is nigh unto "all them that call upon him;" no matter 
which way they turn, they are sure to meet with him : Ps. 
cxxxix. 7-12. Darkness may surround you, friends may be far 
from you, and earth, death, and hell, may level their envenomed 
darts at you ; but no matter, while the Lord is nigh you : Ps. 
lxxxv. 9. All you have to do, is to be careful to sustain the 
character, and then you can claim the promise. Call upon him, 
and you will find him nigh to answer every call : Isa. lviii. 9, 10. 
But if we would be successful in all our calls, we must be careful 
not to indulge in any known sin : Ps. lxvi. 18. 

3d. He is not said to be nigh, but unto " all that call upon him 
in truth/' He is a God of truth; we must therefore call upon 
him in .truth. While in the flesh, the heart must be narrowly 
watched, that it wander not from God, while with our lips we 
call upon him ; or we shall call in vain : Matt. xv. 7-9. We have 
every inducement to call upon him ; the way is clear : Heb. x. 
19-22 ; we have a friend in court : Heb. vii. 25 ; we are invited, 
so that we are sure to meet with a hearty welcome : James iv. 8 ; 
yea, we are commanded to call upon him : so that it would be a sin 
not to call: Ps. 1. 15; neither is there any fear of being. put off 
with a cold " Can't you call again : w Isa. xlv. 19. Were we not 
straightened in our own bowels, we should never find the Lord 
straightened in his. If we call and receive not, it is because we 
have called in an improper manner ; for we could never call at an 
improper season : Jas. iv. 3-6. 



OF FREE ACCESS TO GOD. 99 

" Through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father." — Eph. 
ii. 18. 

"TTTHAT a pity it is, that those who have free access to God. 

* * should live so far from God ! Our hearts and affections, 
too frequently, get roving on the high roads of earthly pleasures, 
riches, or honors ; where clouds of dust arise, that so obscure our 
sight we can not see our way to God ; nor scarcely tell where we 
are. But here Ave are reminded, 

1st. That " through him" that is, through Christ Jesus, who is 
the way, the truth, and the life, we may freely go to the Father : 
John xiv. 6. Because we are his members ; one with, chosen, 
beloved, viewed, and saved in him ; and loved with the very same 
love : John xvii. 23. Through Jesus, 

2d. " We both" Jews and Gentiles ; whether high or low, bond 
or free, churchmen or dissenters; "have access unto the Father." 
We have all one Father : Mai. ii. 10 ; we are all one in Christ ; 
have all one Head, one Comforter, and one Spirit, by whom we 
all have access to one God. Let this faith, then, quell all unholy 
contentions, and excite all heavenly love to each other. Sin 
created a quarrel between us and God; and Christ hath made 
peace between us : Eph. ii. 14. Sin blocked up the old way to 
the Father through works, but Christ has made a new one, 
through himself : Heb. x. 20. The Father has now reconciled us 
to himself : 2 Cor. v. 18 ; made us his sons, and declares himself 
to be our Father : 2 Cor. vi. 18 ; and has erected a throne of grace 
for us to come unto ; with full liberty to approach that throne, 
with all our wants and woes : Heb. iv. 16. But bear in mind, 

3d. Christ, the Son, is the only way of access to the Father : 
John xiv. 6 ; and by the help of the "Spirit" he enlightens our 
minds, and gives us hearts to come : John vi. 44. Thus it is all 
owing to the boundless grace of God, from first to last, that we 
have access to him. What infinite riches of wisdom, grace and 
love, in the new creation in Christ Jesus ! all of which are of a 
spiritual and heavenly nature. Whatever tempests may arise, or 
darkness surround you, you can always find access to a faithful, 
covenant-keeping God : Ezek. xx. 40, 41. 



100 OF SANCTIFYING GRACE. 

• ' The Lord God is a sun and a shield : the Lord will give grace and glory ; 
no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." — Ps. lxxxiv. 11. 

THIS world, to the Christian, may be considered a wilderness, 
dark and dangerous, through which he is called to pass : and 
without a guide and guard, it would be impossible for him to get 
through it in safety : Phil. iii. IS. 19. Here we have a redun- 
dancy of gracious declarations and precious promises. 

1st. •■ Tl>e Lord God." who hurled the sun frcni his grasp, and 
bid the planets roll. •• is a sun.'' to enlighten, cheer, comfort, warm, 
and guide, the travellers of Zion. as they journey toward the Sun: 
and who on their arrival will shine as the sun : ]NIatt. xiii. 43. 
Your way may be difficult, but you have a good light : so that by 
looking well to your steps, you need not fall. Dangers may sur- 
round you. but let not that discourage you. For. 

2d. The Lord is also u a sftield;" and one too. that will cover 
you every way : Isa. Iii. 12. The darts of the enemy may be 
constantly flying thick around you : but let not that give you any 
concern, while you are so well defended by so good a shield : Ps. 
v. 12. Perhaps you are ready to say. -but my fears are so great, 
and my strength so small : my foes so powerful and my faith so 
feeble : that I sometimes think I shall have to give up the 
struggle." Give up ! what ! so long as it is written. 

3d. "Tfie Lord v:W. give grace !'' Xever : never let such a brat 
be sheltered under your roof. You cannot stand, it is true, with- 
out grace : but that you shall have ; and enough too, to replenish 
all your graces. Only be careful to improve the grace you have • 
and the Lord will give sufficient : 2 Cor. xii. 9. The Lord does 
not intend you should stop in this world of woes but a little while 
longer : you may therefore comfort your heart with this assur- 
ance. 

4th. He will •'•; y." Present grace is an earnest cf fut- 

ure glory. Grace is glory begun ; and glory is grace made per- 
fect : 2 Cor. iii. IS. And. to remove every cause of complaint. 

5th. The Lord u wQl withhold no good thing." So that whatever 
may befall you, shall be sanctified to you. 




1 The Lord is a sun and a shield." — Page 100. 



OF SANCTIFYING GRACE. 101 

4 'Such were some of you : but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye 
are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God." — 

1 Cor. vi. 11. 

THE apostle had too great cause to fear that some in the 
church at Corinth were not living as Christians ought to 
live ; but who, while they professed piety, practised iniquity : 

2 Cor. xii. 20, 21. However, he knew that that was not the case 
with all; hence, in order to keep those humble and charitable 
who were so, he gives them to understand, that whatever differ- 
ence there was, between saints and sinners, was all owing to the 
grace of God. Let the wickedness of others ever keep you at 
the footstool of mercy, by reminding you of your great obliga- 
tions to love and serve God. For, 

1st. "Such were some of you:" and truly glad should I be to 
be able to speak of it as a thing past with all of you. The best 
of you were as bad by nature as the worst of them ; all were 
alike unholy and unclean : Job xiv. 4. But, 

2d. "Ye are washed;" from the vile pollutions of sin: by 
faith, ye are washed, having applied to the fountain opened for 
sin and uncleanness : Zech. xii. 1. Thanks to Him who opened 
the fountain, led you to, and then washed you in it: Titus iii. 5. 
Be careful to keep yourselves unspotted from the world. 

3d. " But ye are sanctified : " the Lord hath set you apart for 
himself : Ps. iv. 3 ; he hath redeemed you from all iniquity, and 
washed and sanctified you, that he might purify unto himself a 
peculiar people, zealous of good works : Titus ii. 14. And ye 
are now freed from the power and dominion of sin : Rom. vi. 14 ; 
and being endued with a principle of holiness, ye are become new 
creatures : 2 Cor. v. 17. Neither is that all that grace has done 
for you ; for, 

4th. " Ye are justified;" all your former transgressions are as 
completely removed, and you as free, as though you had never 
committed one sin. God has graciously accepted of us, on ac- 
count of what Christ has wrought out for us ; and now, being 
justified, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ : 
Rom. v. 1. For, 

5th. It is in the Lord Jesus' " name V alone : Acts iv. 12. 



102 OF CONVERTING GRACE. 

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you ; 
and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a 
heart of flesh." — Ezek. xxxvi. 26. 

ACHEISTIAX is a "new creature;" lie has a "new heart;" 
lives in a new world; under a new government; serves a 
new master; obeys new laws; is actuated by netv motives; in- 
fluenced by new love ; animated with new joys; possesses new de- 
lights ; and is called by a new name ; yea, all things become new : 
2 Cor. v. 17. "True/ 3 says the believer, "this is a sweet doctrine ; 
but sad experience teaches me, that I have not yet that new heart 
you speak of ; for I feel to my sorrow the old nature of sin and 
unbelief, and have daily to mourn over it." Well, admitting you 
do, you feel no more than the saints of God in every age have 
had to groan under ; and it is perfectly consistent with a renewed 
state. Naturally, your heart was as hard as a stone, incapable 
of either feeling sin or mourning over it ; and hence it was called 
a -stony heart; w but by the blood of Jesus, applied by the Spirit, 
through faith, it has been made a soft, tender, yielding heart : 
and is called a "heart of flesh." Your old heart was like a rock; 
that could neither be awed by fear nor be moved by love ; but 
your •'•' new heart of flesh " is susceptible of impression; — is melted 
by love, mourns over sin, and delights in looking upon Jesus, as 
he is set forth in the gospel. 

By the Spirit of God you are inwardly changed ; or, in other 
words, have been converted to a different purpose ; or, from what 
you formerly were, to what you now are. You were formerly 
dead as a stone, spiritually ; but now, being quickened, you are 
sensible of feeling; formerly you were a child of wrath; but, 
now, a child of God: Eph. ii. 1-6. Hence you now love and 
serve God, who first loved you: 1 John iv. 19. You thought 
your old heart a very good one, because it was an unfeeling, de- 
ceitful one ; and your new heart, because it is a feeling one, you 
are led to think is worse than the old one. The king's daughter, 
the Lamb's wife, is all glorious within, and her clothing is of 
wrought-gold ; yet she is unhappily allied to a base, wretched 
NabaL The conflicts you feel within, are a proof that grace is 
alive ; and that your heart is not stone. 



OF CONVERTING GRACE. 103 

"Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his 
mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy 
Ghost." — Titus iii. 5. 

EVEEY converted sinner is a sinner saved by grace ; and all 
such are saved from sin ; and consequently the penalty due 
to sin : 2 Tim. i. 9. Observe, 

1st. It is not said, We are saved without the works of right- 
eousness ; no, that could never be ; but, "Not according to works 
of righteousness ivhich we have done;" for that would be impossi- 
ble ; seeing our best performances need washing in the fountain 
opened for sin and uncleanness : Eph. ii. 8, 9, Therefore, 

2d. We are saved "according to his mercy;" on account of 
works of righteousness which Jesus has done ; who hath fulfilled 
the law for us ; and perfectly satisfied every demand of strict jus- 
tice. Hence we are no longer under the curse of the law, but 
under grace : Rom. vi. 14, 15. So that no one has anything to 
boast of, nor glory in, save in the cross of Christ : Eph. ii. 15, 16. 
As water separates filth from that which is washed in it, so we 
are said to be saved, 

3d. "By the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the 
Holy Ghost." Regeneration is spiritual renewing. The man is 
the same after being thus renewed ; but with other dispositions 
and habits ; evil ones no longer prevail : and in a moral and 
spiritual sense, old things are passed away, and all things become 
new. A new principle of grace and holiness being wrought, by 
which he is governed, makes him a new man — a new creature : 2 
Cor. v. 17. 

4th. And as baptism is the outward sign of this inward change, 
wrought in the heart by the Holy Spirit and the word of truth, 
James i. 18, applying the things of Christ to us, it is here called 
the u washing of regeneration" Water cleanses the outside of the 
man ; and is here used to represent the cleansing that has been 
performed inside, by the grace and Spirit of Christ, according to 
the mercy of God : 1 John v. 7, 8. Christ himself instituted the 
ordinance of Baptism ; it ought, therefore, never to be slighted, 
nor neglected by those who are converted ; neither should it ever 
be substituted for conversion; but should follow it as an evidence 
of it. 



104 OF THE GRACE OF REPENTANCE. 

"And ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all the evils that you 
have committed." — Ezek. xx. 43. 

WHEN a man knows but little of God, he is apt to think 
much of himself; but the more he becomes acquainted 
with God's goodness, the more he discovers of his own badness : 
Job xlii. 5, 6. A man who is acquainted with himself, is sure 
to loathe himself. Whoever reflects upon the goodness of God, 
cannot fail to discover their ingratitude to God : Isa. i. 2. Do 
you look upon yourself with abhorrence, and "loathe yourself?" 
Why is it ? You had used to have a good opinion of yourself ; 
and stood very high in your own estimation ; and were ready to 
believe yourself much better than many of your neighbors, who 
made a towering profession of religion. Why this great change 
of your views, with regard to yourself ? Have you such hum- 
bling views of yourself on account of " all the evils you have com- 
mitted?" If so, do not despair; for it is with you just as God 
would have it ; and just as he in his mercy declared it should be. 
You are no worse now, than you were before you saw youself so 
vile and loathesome ; but it is because God has enlightened your 
mind, took away the veil from your heart, and given you a sight 
of yourself, that you now loathe yourself. David was no worse 
after the prophet Nathan had declared him to be the man who had 
committed such great wickedness, than he was before ; no, but 
God brought his sins to his remembrance by it ; and he loathed 
himself on account thereof : 2 Sam. xii. 7, 13. 

The Lord has given you the grace of repentance, so that you 
now hate what you formerly loved, and desire that which you 
formerly slighted ; yea, hated. Confess and forsake your sins, as 
David did, and like him you shall find mercy : Prov. xxviii. 13. 
We must hate sin before we can love holiness. There are many 
who delight themselves in committing sins, who never loathed 
themselves on account of the sins they had committed: Hos. 
vii. 10. God sent his Son to die for sinners ; you are one ; go to 
God through Christ ; take nothing with you but your sins, and 
vile as you are, he will embrace you in the arms of his mercy : 
John vi. 37. Let the great love that God has to you, quicken 
your love to him. 



OF THE GRACE OF REPENTANCE. 105 

" I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." — Matt, 
ix. 13. 

BE astonished, heavens ! and rejoice, ye children of men ! 
admire and adore the goodness of our God ! who, while we 
were yet sinners, sent his only begotten Son into the world, that 
we might live through him : 1 John iv. 9, 10. Learn, 

1st. Christ's errand into the world was to " call men to repent- 
ance;" to convince them of their improper conduct, and persuade 
them to change their mind, in order that they might alter their 
course. This was his first text, and the tendency of all his ser- 
mons : Matt. iv. 17. 

2d. " He came not to call the righteous : " no, for had that been 
his errand, he would never have visited this world : Eom. iii. 10. 
Had men not have been sinners, Christ would not have been found 
amongst men ; but all have sinned ; and he came into a world of 
sinners, that he might save the chief of sinners : 1 Tim. i. 15. 
His errand lay with all kinds of sinners. Therefore, 

3d. The greater the sinner, the more need of the Saviour: 
Matt. ix. 12. The more dangerous the disease, the more need of 
a physician. But he came not to save men in their sins, but 
from their sins : Matt. i. 21 ; and to do this, he calls upon all 
men to repent ; and leaves no means untried, in order to bring 
sinners to repentance. He invites, warns, and entreats, by the 
dispensations of his providence : James ii. 12 ; by the motions 
of his Holy Spirit : Matt. xxii. 14 ; by the preaching of the gos- 
pel : Mark i. 15 ; by their own consciences : John viii. 9 ; and 
by his repeated acts of goodness : Eom. ii. 4. 

4th. Kepentance is produced by a sight of, a sorrow for, and 
a hatred to sin; for no man will think about reforming till he 
sees and feels the need of a reformation. A sorrow for sin, if it 
is of a godly sort, "worketh repentance ; " that is to say, pro- 
duceth a reform: 2 Cor. vii. 10. Hence, Peter directed the mur- 
derers of Christ, who were pricked in their hearts, on account of 
their sins, to repent; do better for the time to come. Is this 
your state, my Christian friend ? Attend to the calls of the 
Spirit; follow the drawings of the Father, and they will lead 
you to the Son. 



106 OF DIVINE TEACHING. 

"/ will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way thou shaft go; I will guide 
thee with mine eye." — Ps. xxxii. 8. 

GOD'S promises are frequently mixed with the prayers and 
grateful acknowledgments of his saints ; as in the case 
here. Christian, know thy danger ; thou art ever liable to be led 
astray by the wicked one, and the deceitfulness of thy own 
heart. Remember, there is no growth in grace, but by the knowl- 
edge of Jesus ; and to know and experience the grace of God in 
Christ, is the privilege of poor sinners. Art thou mourning over 
thy ignorance, hungering after more grace, and thirsting after 
greater knowledge of thyself, thy God, and thy Saviour? Is it 
thy greatest desire to know the way of righteousness, and to be 
enabled to walk in it ? Verily, thy desire shall be granted. For 
the encouragement of thy faith, the Lord declares, 

1st. " I will instruct thee." Complain not of thy ignorance ; 
for it matters not how dull thou mayest be, seeing the Lord has 
engaged to be thy teacher. Talk not of being a poor, igno- 
rant sinner; for He teaches sinners because they are sinners 
and need his teachings : Ps. xxv. 8. We are all sinners, and 
cannot help one another back into the fold from which we strayed ; 
but God sent his Son to save sinners; and, for his sake, will 
instruct us in those things that belong to our peace. If thou art 
endeavoring to walk in the way of the Lord, this promise belongs 
to thee. 

2d. "I will teach thee in the way thou shalt go." Thus it is 
plain your having gone out of the way, or your ignorance in the 
way, can never interfere with the faithfulness of God. There 
are so many ways marked out by man, and each contend so zeal- 
ously for their own way, that without Divine teaching, it would 
be impossible for mortal to know the right way. The Lord will 
teach thee, by his word and Spirit, the way which thou shalt go ; 
whatever way others may take. 

3d. " I mill guide thee with mine eye." The eyes of the Lord 
are upon the righteous : Ps. xxxiv. 15. When the Lord turned 
and looked upon Peter, he guided him with his eye into the 
right way. To grow in the knowledge and love of Jesus, is our 
richest consolation, our greatest joy : 2 Pet. iii. 18. 



OF DIVINE TEACHING. 107 

"// any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be 
of God, or whether I speak of myself ." — John vii. 17. 

THE blessed Saviour has here given to his disciples a test, 
whereby they may try all who set themselves up for prophets, 
doctors, or dictators, in religion ; they are to be tried by their 
doctrine ; and by that he wished to be tried himself. The doc- 
trine of Christ is disputed in this our day, as it was in his day. 
Observe, 

1st. We are in danger of being led astray and deceived, by 
having doctrines brought to us in God's name which he never 
taught ; and it greatly concerns us to know upon what founda- 
tion we build ; and unless we closely examine, we may be miser- 
ably deceived : 1 John iv. 1. 

2d. Who are likely to succeed in their endeavors to ascertain 
" whether the doctrine be of God," or whether the preacher 
preaches himself ? they who " do the will of God," And all who 
do his will are impartial in their inquiries concerning his will ; 
and suffer neither lust nor interest to bias their minds, during 
their search after truth ; and having discovered the will of 
God, they resolve by his grace to conform to it : John xiv. 21. 

3d. Whence it is that such shall " know the truth " of Christ's 
doctrine. Christ has said, "He shall know;" and that is suffi- 
cient ; for his word is his bond. He can open their understand- 
ings ; and all who follow the light they have, may depend upon 
being kept from all destructive mistakes : Luke xxiv. 45. He 
that is disposed to admit the rays of divine light, may depend 
upon being led into all truth ; and the truth, if continued in, 
shall make him free : John viii. 31, 32. 

Be careful to do the will of God, and you will assuredly be 
taught the doctrine of God. Let no one induce you, under a 
show of holiness, to deny the doctrines of grace on the one hand, 
nor suffer the lusts of the flesh to abuse them on the other. 
Under a lively sense of the mercy and grace of God, make a holy 
resolve to do his will ; and to walk continually before him in the 
land of the living : Ps. cxvi. 9. Those who resemble God most, 
are likely to understand him best. Those teachers, and those 
only, who are sent of God, are to be received by us. By their 
fruits ye shall know them : Matt. vii. 15-20. 



108 OF A BLESSING UPON THE ORDINANCES. 

" Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation/' — 
Isa. xii. 3. 

GODLINESS is of a powerful nature upon the soul ; it eon. 
sists not in form and shadow, but in power and substance ; 
not in notions and opinions, but in the real enjoyment of Christ 
in the heart. Those who attend the ordinances from no better 
motive, than that they might give a good account of them, talk 
fluently about them, and contend earnestly for them, are content 
with this : and feel very well satisfied, if. according to their own 
views of religion, they have clear heads : they take it for granted 
that their faith is sound, although it neither works by love, nor 
purifies the heart : Gal. v. 6. Not so with those who enjoy the 
life, light, liberty, and power of Christ and his gospel. ;,/ There- 
fore." because the Lord is your God. your Strength, and your 
Song, and will be your Salvation. u with jay shall ye draw water.' 3 
The many assurances God has given of his love to us, and our 
numerous experiences of the benefit and comfort of his grace. 
should strengthen our faith in him. and enlarge our expectations 
from him : for " out of the wells of salvation M in God, who is the 
Fountain of all goodness, whatever ye need, whenever ye apply, 
"ye shall draw." Only keep in the channel made by him, and ye 
shall meet with all the streams of love that flow from him : Jer. 
xxxi. 9. Observe. 

1st. The promises of God revealed, ratified, and given out to 
us in his ordinances, are •• wells of salvation." 

2d. It is our duty and privilege, to take to ourselves the benefit 
and comfort that are treasured up in them for us ; and by faith 
to draw water from thence : seeing all our springs are there, and 
all our streams from thence : Ps. lxxxvii. 7. 

3d. It is with pleasure that we shall draw water, for the will 
of God is, that we should rejoice before and rejoice in him: 
Dent. xxvi. 11: and always be joyful in the house of prayer: 
Isa. lxvi. 7: keeping his feasts with gladness: Acts ii. 46. Say 
not. --I am too weak to draw:" for he says. '• ye shall draw;" 
yea. and •• with joy " too. His favor shall flow to you and ye 
shall have the comfort of it : Isa. lv. 1. The water is in the 
wells, and ye shall have the comfort of it : Isa. lv. 1. 



OF A BLESSING UPON THE ORDINANCES. 109 

" Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the 
midst of them. " — Matt, xviii. 20. 

SUCH is the love the Saviour bears to his followers, and the 
encouragement given them, to frequently assemble in his 
name for Divine worship, that he assures them the smallness of 
their numbers shall be no obstacle in his way of meeting with 
them : Exod. xx. 24. Observe, 

1st. The duty here prescribed. It is that we "gather" our- 
selves "together in Christ's name." This is an important obliga- 
tion ; and implies that when we meet for the purpose of divine 
worship, we should do it with reverence, and godly fear: Ps. 
lxxxix. 7. We should not carelessly rush into the presence of 
God ; but seek a necessary preparation of heart : Prov. xvi. 1 ; 
and go with a desire to do and get good : Eccl. v. 1, 2 ; that we 
may be prepared to receive the communications of his grace : 
Ps. xxvii. 4. We cannot approach God in our own names, because 
we are sinners, and enemies to him by wicked works : Kom. viii. 
7, 8 ; nor in any other name under heaven, than that of Jesus : 
Acts iv. 12; but through him we have a new and living way 
opened to the Father of all our mercies : John xiv. 6. Neither 
will any worship be acceptable to God, but that which is sincere 
and spiritual: John iv. 24. Let us, then, worship him in the 
spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the 
flesh : Eom. viii. 26, 27. 

2d. The instructions suggested. The Saviour declares himself 
to be "in the midst" of all his assemblies, however numerous, 
and in any and every part of the world at the same time, which 
proves him to be omnipresent : Matt, xxviii. 20. That religious 
ordinances are of divine origin, is evident, from the institution and 
design of the Sabbath: Gen. ii. 3. The positive injunctions of 
the moral law : Exod. xx. 8-11. The Mosaic dispensation of 
ceremonies : Deut. xvi. 16. The testimonies and examples of the 
patriarchs and prophets : Ps. lxxxiv. 2-4. The examples of 
Christ in the days of his flesh: Luke iv. 16; and the practice 
of the primitive Christians: Acts xx. 7. " Where?" whether in 
a palace, or in a barn ; in a temple, or in the field ; whenever, 
wherever, and whoever, gather together in the name of Christ, 
have him in their midst. 



110 OF GRACE TO MORTIFY SIN. 

"Ephraim shall say, What have / to do any more with idols?" — Hos. 
xiv. 8. 

THESE words are a part of a sweet dialogue between the 
Lord and Ephraim ; which signifies growing. The Lord 
had just before said, " I will be as the dew unto Israel." Now 
see the effects of this grace. Ephraim says, " "What have I to do 
any more with idols." Get ye hence, cursed idols, my vile lusts ; 
and that vain idol, the work of my hands ; and my own righteous- 
ness. I abhor the former, and disclaim the latter ; for now I 
find my Lord is mine, and I am his. One who has truly repented 
of his sins, is one who has quarrelled with his sins ; and such is 
the hatred he has to sin, whenever it presents itself, he starts 
back and cries, " What have I to do any more with idols?" Noth- 
ing shall again divide my heart. How can I do this great wicked- 
ness, and sin against God ? Gen. xxxix. 9. Ephraim had joined 
himself to idols : Hos. iv. 17 ; and the Lord intended to give him 
such a surfeit of sin, that he should forever disown it. So that, 
you see it is the Lord becomes surety for his servant. " Ephraim 
shall say" &c. The desire of God is, that sinners should repent 
and turn to him : Ezek. xiv. 6. If he hears but a sigh from the 
penitent heart, he is pleased with it: Jer. viii. 6. The Lord 
hates nothing but sin. He sent his Son to make an end of sins, 
lest sins should make an end of us : Dan. ix. 24. We have noth- 
ing to dread but sin. Sin strikes at God's holiness, and our 
happiness ; we should, therefore, keep up a constant and universal 
war against all sorts of sins. Eemember, one sin threw down a 
righteous Noah ; another, a faithful Abraham ; another the meek 
Moses ; another, was too strong for Samson ; another, overcame 
pious David ; another, the wise Solomon ; another, cast down 
Paul ; another, knocked down the champion Peter ; and all 
together crucified the Son of God. The more you know of God's 
greatness, the more you will see of sin's vileness : Eom. vii. 13. 

Be not discouraged, because you have so formidable a foe to 
contend with ; for as is your day so is your strength. The grace 
of God is always sufficient : 2 Cor. xii. 9. Eor his strength is 
made perfect in thy weakness. 



OF GRACE TO MORTIFY SIN. Ill 

"Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." — Gal. 
v. 16. 

AS every renewed soul loves to enjoy spiritual and heavenly 
objects, so the unrenewed part, or the flesh, lusts after those 
things which it is naturally conversant with, and from which it 
derives its happiness. This is the Christian's conflict ; and hence 
the necessity of watching and praying: Matt. xxvi. 41. And 
well would it be for all who name the name of Christ, if, instead 
of rising up one party against another, they would all unite 
against the one common foe, sin : Ps. cxxxiii. Every renewed 
man finds a struggle between the old and the new nature, between 
the remainders of sin and the beginnings of grace ; and in this 
conflict it is our duty and interest to side with our convic- 
tions against our corruptions. We are here told, 

1st. The course to be pursued. " Walk in the Spirit" by which 
ye are sanctified and renewed : 1 Cor. vi. 11 ; that condescends to 
dwell in your heart : Eom. viii. 9 ; and assists you in the dis- 
charge of all your duties : Eom. viii. 26. Walk under the guid- 
ance, and influence of the Holy Spirit: John xvi. 13. You, no 
doubt, feel that the flesh is warring against the spirit, or that 
gracious, holy influence implanted in your heart by the Holy 
Spirit ; but this should not discourage you : for it is positive 
proof that the spirit is warring against the flesh : Rom. vii. 22, 
23. Your feeling sin living in you, is no proof you are living in 
sin. Ask of God, and he will give you his Holy Spirit, to enable 
you to mortify every sin : Luke xi. 13. 

2d. The happy result will be, " Ye shall not fulfil the lust of the 
flesh." Alas ! what woful work the fulfilling the lust of the 
flesh hath made, even among the most eminent saints. The con- 
ceptions of lust are the productions of sin : James i. 15. The 
commission of sin loads the conscience with guilt ; and brings 
sickness and death to the soul. Hence, the many alarming symp- 
toms attendant on contracted guilt ; the lashes of conscience, the 
terrors of the law, distance from God, dejection of soul, coolness 
of affection to Jesus, backwardness to duty, neglect of a throne 
of grace, legal fears, and bitterness of spirit. 



112 OF GRACE AGAINST TEMPTATION. 

"He that feareth God sha// come forth of them all. " — Eccl. vii. 18. 

THE corrupt inclination of our nature to what is sinful, is 
what the apostle calls. •• Sin that dwelleth in us : *' Bom. vii. 
17 : and is a constant, powerful stimulus to the actual commission 
of sin. The objects around us prove the unhappy occasions of 
sin to us ; our company, society, callings, and circumstances, fre- 
quently prove temptations to sin. The world, though not neces- 
sarily set against our spiritual interests, is an enemy to our souls ; 
hence the apostle calls it an •• evil world : " Gal. i. 1. The things 
of the world are suitable to our corrupt passions and appetites, 
and excite and inflame them : 1 John ii. 15. The devil is another 
great enemy of our souls, and is continually engaged to estrange 
our affections from God. to the practice of iniquity : 1 Pet. v. 8. 
The Scriptures assure us. that our spiritual foes are very numer- 
ous : Eph. vi. 12. Without, we have fightings ; within, we have 
fears. But greater is he that is for us. than all that can be 
against us. Our best defence against temptation, is religion, or, 
the fear of the Lord. -He that feareth God." need fear nothing 
else : Isa. xxxv. 1. Satan may tempt, but he cannot force, nor 
take away your crown : Jas. i. 12. The least sin is a greater evil 
than the greatest temptation. Were you an empty vessel, the 
enemy would let you alone : for he is too skilful a pirate ever to 
attack an empty ship : Heb. iv. 15. Up with your faith, and 
down with your fears : for though you may be greatly tempted, 
you shall be greatly supported : 2 Cor. xii. 9. Your greatest 
enemy lies in your own bosom, night and day : Jer. xvii. 9. Be- 
sist the devil and he will, coward-like, flee from you; James iv. 
7. The weapons you fight with, must be fervent prayer, and 
faith in the promises of God ; and be sure you keep a constant 
watch, lest you be taken by surprise : Eph. vi. IS. Brize the 
word of God. as your blessed charter of salvation: plead the 
promises before him : in the hour of temptation fly to him ; ex- 
pect all you need from him : even victory over all sin, deliverance 
from all trouble, holiness here, and glory hereafter. A host of 
foes can never harm you, while you serve the Lord of hosts : 1 
Cor. x. 13. Tor his grace is sufficient for thee : 2 Cor. xii. 9. 



OF GRACE AGAINST TEMPTATION. 113 

" B/essed is the man that endureth temptation : for when he is tried he 
shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love 
him. " — James i. 12. 

THE Bible is the Christian's charter ; it is therefore our 
highest wisdom to study it, and to judge of God's love to us 
from his word and promises, and not from our circumstances, 
trials, and feelings. Observe, 

1st. "Blessed is the man" whoever he may be, or whatever 
might be his condition, "that endureth temptation." A man may 
suffer much, and not be said to endure anything ; but he who 
patiently endures, and with constancy goes through all difficulties 
in the way of his duty, is truly blessed : Heb. ii. 18. 

2d. Afflictions, whatever might be their nature, are so far from 
taking away the happiness of a man who loves God, that they 
only tend to increase it. So that no temptations need make us 
miserable, since God designs them to make us comfortable ; for 
"blessed is the man that endureth temptation." 

3d. A tried Christian is sure to be a crowned one. " Wlien he 
is tried" when he is approved, when his graces are found to be 
genuine, and his integrity manifested ; when he has been refined 
as metals are in the fire, when all his dross has been taken away, 
and " sterling " has been stamped upon him, " he shall receive the 
crown of life." We who bear the cross in time, shall wear the 
crown in eternity : 2 Cor. v. 1. 

4th. The future blessedness, involved in a crown of life, is a 
thing promised to every righteous sufferer, by the God of truth ; 
and may therefore be safely depended upon. " TJie Lord hath 
promised " it ; and will give it : 2 Tim. iv. 8. 

5th. We must endure temptation from a principle of love to 
God, in order to sustain the character to whom this promised 
crown shall be given ; otherwise we are not interested in the 
promise. "The Lord hath promised to them that love him" And 
whatever we may suffer, or do, if it arises not from a sincere love 
to God and man, it will never be pleasing to God : 1 Cor. xiii. 3. 
Temptations, or trials, from God, can never injure us ; they being 
designed to improve us : Gen. xxii. 1 ; Heb. xi. 11. The Lord 
knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation. 



114 OF VICTORY OVER THE WORLD. 

" To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh 
fro ward things." — Pro v. ii. 12. 

"VTOTHIN'G wiH kill the love of a bewitching, deceitful world. 
-Ui in a deceitful heart, but a sight of heaven by faith. The 
world we are in most danger of being ensnared by, is, that de- 
praved and blind multitude who love themselves, or the creature, 
without paying any regard to the Creator : Eph. ii. 2, 3 ; and 
who have such an enmity to God, that they hate all who love 
him : John xv. 19. But if you have the grace of God in your 
heart, that will produce a hope of heaven in the soul ; and " deliver 
you from the ivay of the evil man" which will be a blessed deliver- 
ance ; for his way leads to death : Prov. xiv. 12. The enemy is 
here spoken of as one, when, the fact is, there is a whole gang of 
them ; all engaged, as one man, to oppose religion ; and are united, 
heart and hand, to support the kingdom of Satan: Isa. xxviii. 

14, 15. But you need not fear them, for you shall have a com- 
plete victory over them : 1 John v. 4. Wisdom, which is religion, 
will keep you from falling into their snares ; so that while you 
are in the world, you shall be kept from the evil of the world : 
John xvii. 15, 16. Those of the world are generally known by 
their conversation ; they speak "froward things." To show their 
own enmity to religion, and to dissuade others from it, they speak 
all they can against it ; and are fond of cavilling with the word 
of God ; and are never better pleased than when they think they 
have been successful in their endeavors : Gal. iii. 1. From those 
who openly deny all religion, you have but little to fear : because 
you know them : 1 John iv. 4 ; but the greatest enemies to Chris- 
tianity are to be found amongst those who are called Christians ; 
who, while they make a profession of piety, practise iniquity : 
Eph. v. 12. Of all men upon earth, a worldly-minded professor 
is most to be pitied, and none so much to be dreaded ; they strive 
to keep God and the world, while they enjoy neither : 1 John ii. 

15. Search the word of God, keep and study it ; that directs 
thee to Christ, who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The 
only way to happiness is the way of holiness ; walk in it, and 
shun every evil way. 



OF VICTORY OVER THE WORLD. 115 

" Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present 
evil world. ' ' — Gal. i. 4. 

"TTTHEN the world came out of the hands of its Creator, it was 
* * declared by him to be "very good;" but the sin of man 
ruined it, and brought it and himself under a curse : Gen. i. 31 ; 
iii. 17, 18. The present world, which was made a blissful world 
by God, is now an enemy to our souls ; therefore the apostle calls 
it an " evil world" Not as though it were evil in itself, and neces- 
sarily set against our spiritual interests ; no, but the things of the 
world, being suitable to our corrupt passions and appetites, excite 
and inflame them, like unwholesome food, that is pleasant to the 
taste, but feeds the disease. Every creature of God would be 
good, if rightly used : 1 Tim. iv. 4. Observe, then, 

1st. This present world is an evil world, on account of sin that 
made it such; and the sin, sorrow, pains, and calamities with 
which it abounds ; and the many snares and temptations to which 
we are exposed while we remain in it. But though we have to 
live in it, if we are Christians, we are not of it : John xv. 19. 
For, 

2d. Jesus Christ " gave himself for our sins" as a great sacrifice 
to make atonement for us : 2 Cor. v. 21 ; " that he might deliver 
%ts from this present evil world." Not that he might immediately 
take us out of it, but deliver us from the power and evil of it : 
John xvii. 15. We are only travellers through it ; and while in 
it, we shall have to do with it ; but must be careful to keep our- 
selves unspotted from it : James i. 27. By living to Christ, we 
become dead to the world ; and by dying to, we obtain a victory 
over it : Gal. vi. 14. Christ has wrought out a deliverance for us, 
but we can never enjoy it but by faith in his merits ; he died to 
save us from our sins when he died for our sins: Matt. i. 21. 
And no one can consistently call him their Saviour, who is living 
in sin ; and was it not a sin to live under the power and influence 
of the world, he would never have given himself to deliver us 
from it ; and if Christ Jesus has not saved us from sin, I am at a 
loss to know what he has saved us from. To obtain a victory 
over the world, you must fight against it, in the strength of the 
dear Redeemer who gave himself for us: John xvi. 33. 



116 OF VICTORY OVER THE DEVIL. 

"/ will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and 
her seed ; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel." — Gen. 
iii. 15. 

HEEE we have war proclaimed between the seed of the 
woman and the seed of the serpent. There are two par- 
ticulars which demand our serious attention. 

First. The Lord put enmity between the serpent and the wo- 
man, and between his seed and her seed. 1st. The serpent is 
addressed, but the devil is intended. He is called " the dragon, 
that old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan : " Eev. xx. 2. The 
following reasons may be assigned why he is called a serpent. 
He assumed that form when he tempted Eve : ver. 1 ; he is crafty, 
subtle, and cunning: 2 Cor. ii. 11; and his influence on man 
resembles the deadly bite of a serpent : Gen. xlix. 17. 2d. The 
woman is named, because she was deceived by the serpent : 1 Tim. 
ii. 14. 3d. Wicked men are influenced by the seed of the serpent ; 
he is their father, and they do his works : John viii. 44. The old 
serpent is an enemy of God ; and so are all his children : Eom. 
viii. 7. All our sinful lusts and works spring from the same 
seed. 4th. The "seed of the woman" is the Saviour of the world, 
the only begotten Son of God : Gal. iv. 4 ; 1 John ii. 2. Christ, 
and all believers in him, are of the woman's seed; they being one 
in him their living Head : Col. i. 18, 19. 5th. God put enmity 
between these parties ; and no one can ever reconcile them : for 
the devil is sinful and polluted ; Christ is pure and holy, the devil 
is a destroyer ; Christ is a Saviour, the devil is a cruel tyrant ; 
Christ is a mild Prince; the devil is to be destroyed : Heb. ii. 14 ; 
Christ must reign and conquer : 1 Cor. xv. 25. 

Secondly. The seed of the woman was to bruise the serpent's 
head, and the serpent was to bruise his heel. This language is 
figurative, and we understand it to mean, 1st. By the head of the 
serpent, the mischievous power of the devil. The life, power, and 
poison of the serpent lie in its head. 2d. The Saviour came into 
the world to bruise his head. See the first conflict : Matt. iv. 
1-11. 3d. To bruise his head, is to crush his power : Eev. xx. 
10. 4th. Christ gave a death-blow to the serpent in his death 
and resurrection : 1 Cor. xv. 20-22. 




11 1 will put enmity between thee and the woman." — Page 116. 



OF VICTORY OVER THE DEVIL. 117 

"Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. " — James iv. 7. 

THINK not, believer, that thou art not a son of the God of 
Peace, nor a subject of the Prince of Peace, because thou art 
daily in wars and fightings. True, when the delightful sound of 
peace is declared in thy heart, and thou art enjoying a comfort- 
able sense of peace in thy conscience, some sinful passion, some 
rebel lust, or some fiery dart of the adversary, makes a sudden 
attack upon thee ; but then, this combined power is a scriptural 
mark that thou art born of God ; and that Jesus is thy peace : 
Eph. ii. 13, 14. The world, with all its vanities, its smiles and 
frowns, its promises and threatenings, and ungodly men, animated 
by the god of this world, are all at war with thee, because thou 
art not one of them, but of the kingdom of Jesus. But this 
should only serve to strengthen thy mind, rather than cast thee 
down. Satan tried to make the Saviour question his sonship ; 
tempted him to distrust ; covetousness ; idolatry ; and self-mur- 
der ; but did that prove he was not the Son of God ? Matt. iv. 
1-11. The Devil is a chained enemy, and you have only to keep 
off his ground ; and then, though he may bark at you, he cannot 
bite you. 

Attend, 1st, to the exhortation here given : " Resist the deviV 9 
Whenever he comes knocking at the door of your heart, suffer 
him not to gain admittance by opening the door, before you have 
carefully ascertained who, or what, you are about to admit. It 
will not do, simply to ask, Who is there ? for he is sure to deny 
his name, and feign himself what he really is not : 2 Cor. xi. 14. 
Never suppose that he is always dressed in black. Come in what 
dress, or form, he may, he has but one design : 1 Pet. v. 8. The 
devil cannot pray ; and fears nothing so much ; resist him with 
it. Should he tempt you to pride, resist him with Ps. cxxxviii. 
6 ; if to distrust, with Ps. lxxxiv. 11 ; if to slothfulness, with 
Prov. xxi. 25 ; and if to sin, in any wise, with Bom. vi. 23. Put 
on the whole armor of God, and use it manfully : Eph. vi. 14-18. 
For, 

2d. The promise is, "He will flee from you" and leave you in 
possession of the field : Phil. iv. 13. The devil can tempt, and 
swagger; but he is a rank coward when it comes to the light. 
Resist him. 



118 OF STRENGTH AND COURAGE. 

"Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope 
in the Lord. " — Ps. xxxi. 24. 

COME, poor, hoping, trembling, doubting believer in Jesus ! 
Look at this precious promise ! and then give your fears to 
the winds. Do not say, " What have I to do with the children's 
bread ? I am so fickle, weak, and unworthy, that I fear to ask 
even for the crumbs." Well, admitting all you say to be true, 
this promise assuredly belongs to you. But to remove all doubts, 
we will notice, 

1st. The character of those to whom the promise is made. 
"AU ye that hope in the Lord" Hope is the firm expectation of 
some good. If we do not believe an object anticipated to be 
good, we dread its approach, instead of seeking for its enjoyment. 
To hope in the Lord, is to confidently expect all the good we 
need from him ; and which he has promised : Ps. lxxxiv. 11 ; 2 
Tim. i. 12. God is the fountain of all goodness : Jas. i. 17. 
Hence, all who hope in him, expect from his providence, their 
needful supplies ; from his mercy, a pardon for their sins ; from 
his wisdom, direction in their difficulties ; from his power, sup- 
port and defence ; and from his love, all that grace and glory 
which he hath promised to all his believing children: Ps. cxix. 
49 ; Rom. xv. 4. This hope is an active, vigorous, and purifying 
principle : 1 John iii. 3. 

2d. The advice given. "Be of good courage." Courage is 
active fortitude; and when it arises from a sense of duty, and 
fear of offending God, it always acts agreeably to reason and 
religion. We should attend to this advice, from a consideration 
of the difficulties and dangers that attend us ; of the cause in 
which we are engaged ; of our Captain under whose banner we 
fight; of the certainty of victory; and of the glorious rewards 
that await us : Rom. viii. 37-39. No foe can foil us, no enemy 
can vanquish us, while we hope in the Lord : Ps. xci. 4, 5. 

3d. Strength promised. " He shall strengthen your heart." By 
the heart here, is meant the soul, with all its powers ; the under- 
standing, conscience, will, affections, and memory ; all of which 
God will strengthen, by illuminating the mind, and drawing the 
affections to himself. 



OF STRENGTH AND COURAGE. 119 

" Cod hath not given us the spirit of fear ; but of power, and of love, and 
of a sound mind. " — 2 Tim. i. 7. 

EFFECTS prove their cause. And a slavish fear arises from 
a consciousness of guilt ; but where sin is removed, a fear 
of punishment is taken away. Nothing tends more to mar our 
usefulness, than a base fear ; it was this that caused the wicked 
servant to bury his talent, when he ought to have traded with it : 
Matt. xxv. 25. All men are to be loved, but no man is to be 
feared: Luke xii. 4, 5. God hath taken from us the spirit of 
fear; but observe, attentively, what he has given to us in lieu 
of it. 

1st. " The spirit of power" of courage, and resolution, to meet 
all dangers and difficulties, with becoming boldness, as the sons 
of God : Acts xx. 23, 24. 

2d. "The spirit of love" to God, which will not fail to raise 
us far above the fear of man, and all that men can do unto us : 
Eom. viii. 31. 

3d. "The spirit of a sound mind;" or, a quiet, peaceable mind; 
so that we shall be able to enjoy ourselves under all circum- 
stances. We have frequently much to discourage us in our way 
of duty, by the creatures of our own disordered imagination ; 
which a sound, sober, solid, thinking mind, would completely 
remove : Neh. vi. 11, 12. The Spirit God gives to his ministers 
and people, is not a fearful, but courageous Spirit. Child of God ! 
member of Jesus, how safe ! how secure is your salvation ! Only 
think upon what the God of your salvation is, what he has done, 
and promised, and your fears will fly before your faith, like chaff 
before the wind. Your strength lies in the Lord ; and you can 
realize it only by faith in his word. The spirit of love to God 
and man, needs only to be exercised to inspire with new life, and 
strengthen your feeblest powers ; while a sound mind will make 
you bold as a lion : Pro v. xxviii. 1 ; and enable you to face the 
most daring foe, as David did Goliah ; trusting alone in the 
strength of the God of Israel : Prov. xxix. 25. Let those fear 
whose consciences, being laden with guilt, and armed with ven- 
geance, are their unwearied tormentors ; but do you take fresh 
courage ; for, as you never did, so you never will, have any cause 
to complain: 2 Cor. xii. <). Be strong in the Lord. 



120 OF WISDOM. 

' ' For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowl- 
edge, and joy. " — Eccl. ii. 26. 

ry^HE united testimonies of reason, revelation, and experience, 
JL prove that man is a lapsed and indigent creature ; and not 
only the vulgar and illiterate, but also the best and most learned 
philosophers, have ever been ignorant of the nature and true 
character of God, till taught by him : 1 Cor. i. 21. While a man 
is asleep he may dream that he is awake, and believe all imaginary 
objects to be real ; so a man may think himself wise while pur- 
suing folly : Prov. xxvi. 12. The only way to become truly wise, 
is to become truly good. For, 

1st. " God giveth to a man that is good in his sight, wisdom/' 
To be good in the sight of God, is to be righteous before him : 
Gen. vii. 1. To be good, is to enjoy good, by keeping the com- 
mandments of God ; and meditating in his law both day and 
night : Ps. i. 1-3. And by being good we gain good, and wisdom 
to make a right use of the good we gain : Eccl. ii. 13. 

2d. He giveth " knowledge " to the good ; so that, by the 
infinite wisdom of God, and by means of their spiritual knowl- 
edge, and prudence, they shall either avoid trouble or get out of 
it : Prov. xi. 9. But the simple pass on and are punished : Prov. 
xxii. 3. 

3d. He gives to the good man "joy;" and which is excited 
by the Holy Ghost : Gal. v. 22. Gladness is sown for the upright, 
and they alone can reap it : Ps. xcvii. 11. The ground or object 
of one's rejoicing is called his "joy;" thus God is the joy, the 
exceeding joy, of all who are good in "his sight; " however vile 
they may seem in the sight of others : Ps. xliii. 4. 

The wisdom God gives to a man makes him patient in adversity ; 
thankful in prosperity ; and enables him to direct all his steps to 
the glory of God : Ps. xxxvii. 23. A good man is wise because 
he is taught of God ; and they needs must be wise who have in- 
finite Wisdom for their instructor : Ps. xix. 7. What the world 
calls wisdom, God calls foolishness : 1 Cor. iii. 19. Jesus, your 
Saviour, is your Prophet, to teach, your Priest to atone, and your 
king to rule by love in your heart. Cost what it may, have what 
God calls wisdom ; it is within your reach. 



OF WISDOM. 121 

"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, 
and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption. " — 1 Cor. i. 30. 

&OD is a full, free, and overflowing Fountain of goodness; 
and all the good we have flows from him, through Jesus 
Christ as the channel of conveyance. By nature, we are all 
foolish, ignorant, and blind, in those things that belong to God 
and our soul's happiness : 1 Cor. iii. 19 ; but whatever we are 
deficient in ourselves, we have in Christ. For, 

1st. "He is made of God unto us Wisdom" The believer in 
Christ is truly wise; for being conscious that sin would render 
the future part of his life bitter, and death dreadful, he has not 
only secured an evidence of pardon for the past, but follows after 
holiness as a necessary qualification for happiness here and here- 
after : Prov. xix. 8. A believer who is truly wise is truly humble ; 
knowing that he is indebted to Christ for his wisdom ; in whom 
are hid the treasures of wisdom : Col. ii. 3. We are guilty. But, 

2d. Christ is made " our Righteousness" He is the procurer 
and bestower of all that righteousness which believers in him 
possess : Jer. xxiii. 6. We are corrupt and depraved. But, 

3d. He is made our " Sanctification" the Source of our spiritual 
life ; he being the Vine and we the branches ; we are the par- 
takers of the same nature with him ; whatever may be the nature 
of the Head, the members partake of the same. By nature, and 
practice, we are bound in the cords of sin. But, 

4th. He is made to us "Redemption " our Saviour and Deliverer. 
He is our complete Redemption ; frees us from sin, discharges 
from the guilt and power of it, and the body from the power of 
the grave : 1 Cor. xv. 55-57. Whatever you may be ignorant of 
beside, endeavor to become more and more acquainted with Christ ; 
a knowledge of him is a wonderful mystery. To know Christ is 
to make him your consolation, delight, companion, and end. The 
Christian becomes wiser every day: a child may play with a 
snake; but a man gets as far from it as he can. If you lack 
wisdom, ask of God; He will-give it you: Jas, i. 5. To be truly 
wise, is to possess Christ, who is not only wisdom, but the wisdom 
of God : 1 Cor. i. 24. 



122 OF DIVINE GUIDANCE. 

"And the Lord shall guide thee continually. " — Isa. lviii. 11. 

THIS world is a wilderness, dark, dreary, and dangerous ; and 
through which all Zion's travellers have to pass, ere they can 
arrive at Heaven, their home : Heb. xiii. 14. Were we to be left 
to ourselves, but for one moment, we should certainly miss our 
way : Jer. x. 23 ; and the thought of this may be a source of 
grief to the believer, when he looks too much to himself, and too 
little to the promises of God. But let it ever be remembered by 
you, that he who marked out the way, has engaged himself to 
guide you in the way. Observe, 

1st. " The Lord " strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, 
whose wisdom knows no bound, and whose goodness is equal to 
his power and knowledge, hath engaged to be our Guide even 
unto death : Ps. xlviii. 14. And lest you should consider it too 
great a condescension for the Lord who is so high, to stoop so 
low as to notice a creature so ungrateful and vile, and in order 
to remove all your scruples, it is said, " The Lord shall guide 
thee" With such a guide what have you to fear ? Surely, he 
who has promised is well able to perform his promise ! and of his 
willingness there can be no doubt : Heb. xiii. 5. Your way may 
be dark, but your Guide is light : 1 John i. 5. Your path may 
be rugged all through, and tribulation surround you, but your 
Guide will furnish you with strength in proportion to your day : 
2 Cor. xii. 9. You may, yea, will have fightings without, but 
you have peace in Jesus : John xvi. 33 ; and through him, will 
assuredly have a supply of all things needful for your journey : 
Phil. iv. 19. And you may depend upon being brought in safety 
to your journey's end : Ps. lxxiii. 24. For, 

2d. " The Lord shall guide thee continually." He will not 
guide you in fair weather, and leave you in a storm ; no, but in 
all straits, trials, clangers, troubles, afflictions, and difficulties, he 
shall guide thee : Isa. xxx. 21, 22 ; through fire and water : Isa. 
xliii. 2 ; through life and death : Ps. xxiii. 4 ; through every 
change of life, and under all circumstances ; through the gloom 
of dejection and mists of corruption, through every condition -in 
life and in death, " The Lord shall guide thee continually." 



OF DIVINE GUIDANCE. 123 

" He will guide you into all truth." — John xvi. 13. 

HAS the Holy Spirit of God convinced you of sin, of the 
curse of the law for it, of the wrath of God as revealed 
against all sin, so that you have fled for refuge to the bleeding 
wounds of Jesus, who came to save his people from their sins ? 
If so, you are truly blessed, being saved from the worst of all 
sins, unbelief; the Spirit has glorified Christ in your eyes and to 
your heart and Christ will assuredly glorify your soul, with him 
in his heavenly kingdom. The blessed Spirit, by taking the 
things of Christ and revealing them unto you, has acted the part 
of a Quickener and Comforter ; but do not suppose that his work 
is done, and you will now be left to shift for yourself. no ; 
his work is not finished ; he has not done with you yet. For, 

1st. "He will guide you" The Guide here promised has been, 
and continues to be the guide of all true believers in Jesus ; for 
all who are born of God are led by the Spirit of God : Bom. viii. 
14. You, no doubt, are sensible of your own dulness, and how 
liable you are to make mistakes ; but this should not discourage 
you, though your way may appear dark and crooked : Isa. xlii. 
16. It is true, the path is narrow, and many snares are laid for 
your feet, but never let that trouble you ; for your Guide is well 
acquainted with every inch of the road ; and having led so many 
through, you may safely depend upon him : Isa. xxx. 21. Your 
spirit may have to pass through sore conflicts, and seem ready to 
faint ; and the enemy may suggest, that you may as well give up, 
for you will never hold out to the end, seeing that you are sur- 
rounded by so many difficulties and errors. But let not that 
trouble you. For, 

2d. He will not only lead you out of the destructive paths of 
pride, self-will, and self-righteousness, but will guide you "into 
all truth." The truth is the poor, guilty sinner's only hope. The 
truth assures us, that the Lord laid all our sins upon Jesus: 
1 Pet. ii. 24; whose blood cleanses from all sin: 1 John i. 
7. Whatever is needful for you to know, you shall be made 
acquainted with: Ps. xxxii. 8. He will guide you as an instructor 
docs a scholar, and as a guide docs a traveller : Bom. viii. 14. He 
careful to listen to, depend upon and follow your Guide, 



124 OF ABILITY FOR GOOD DISCOURSE. 

" The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom." — Prov. x. 31. 

SOME men talk to please others ; while others talk to please 
themselves ; and the month of a fool is full of words : Eccl. 
x. 14. Not so with true Christians, who are called just, or right- 
eous, on account of their being justified by faith in Jesus : Bom. 
v. 1 ; and living by faith upon him, who distinguishes them from 
unbelievers, who are called unjust : Bom. i. 17. A fool tells all 
that he knows ; while the just knows when to speak, and what to 
speak : Prov. xxix. 11 ; Luke xxi. 15. A just man in his dis- 
course " brings forth wisdom " for the benefit of others ; he is 
taught of God who gives him wisdom : Eccl. ii. 26. Whatever 
good he receives, he endeavors to do good with it : Matt. xii. 35. 
He studies more to please God, than to please his company; 
though he may endeavor to please both : 1 Cor. x. 31. The 
Saviour tells us, that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth 
speaketh : Matt. xii. 35 ; so that a heart influenced by the grace 
of God may be expected to bring forth wisdom : Prov. xvi. 1. It 
is better to think much and say little, than to say much and think 
little. God takes notice of what we say as well as what we do : 
Matt. xii. 36. If we live under the influence of the gospel, our 
conversation will be such as becomes the gospel : Phil. i. 27. 
Every just man is a righteous man, in the sight of God ; hence, 
he has a righteous heart, and hopes ; righteous joys, and fears ; a 
holy life, and godly conversation : Col. iii. 17. Men of this world 
may possess fine parts, profound learning, brilliant talents, and 
stand very high in both church and state, and yet be perverse. 
They deride the gospel while they profess it. Separate from 
them; come out from among them; so shall ye save yourself 
from partaking of their evils. Always beware of your dear Lord's 
enemies, though they profess to be his friends. Never tarry 
longer in any company than duty requires, where your mouth 
cannot bring forth what God calls wisdom: 1 Cor. i. 18, 19. Seek 
after that wisdom which is pure ; peaceable ; gentle ; easy to be 
entreated ; full of mercy ; without partiality ; full of good works ; 
without hypocrisy : Jas. i. 17. Think twice before you speak 
once. Never suffer your tongue to outrun your wisdom. 



OF ABILITY FOR GOOD DISCOURSE. 125 

" To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom ; to another the word of 
know/edge by the same Spirit." — 1 Cor. xii. 8. 

IpOEMAL professors say, that Jesus is the Lord; and such a 
. profession is common to the openly profane ; but is no more 
profitable to salvation than the true declaration of Satan, " Thou 
art the Holy one of God: " Mark i. 24. But one who believes in 
Jesus in the heart, trusts in him as the once sin-bearing, sin- 
atoning, curse-sustaining, but now-pleading Saviour; and readily 
acknowledges himself indebted to him, as the procuring cause of 
all the blessings he enjoys. 

God, who is the giver of every good and perfect gift, giveth 
to every one that which he sees will be for their good and his 
glory; and however different those gifts might be, they all 
proceed from the same source : Jas. i. 17. To one he gives " the 
ivord of ivisdom ; " a knowledge of the mysteries of the gospel, 
with the ability to explain them for the benefit of others : Mark 
iv. 11. To another he gives the "word of knowledge;" to enable 
them to give counsel and advice to those who need it ; and all 
proceed through one channel, by the same Spirit. Never should 
it be forgotten, that whatever gifts God bestows, he expects us 
to improve them to the good of our fellow-creatures and his 
glory : Matt. xxv. 15-25. You may not have the ability to ex- 
plain hard and grave sentences, nor to answer every question 
that might be put to you ; but you ought always to be ready to 
give a reason to every man that asketh you of the hope that is in 
you : 1 Pet. iii. 15. Some are fond of much talking, that others 
might think much of them ; but when you talk, let your conver- 
sation be such as becometh the Christian : Phil. i. 27. Endeavor 
to show your meekness and your wisdom by your conversation : 
Jas. iii. 13. Be careful to live like a saint, and you will never 
talk like a sinner ; but you will be ready on all occasions to ac- 
knowledge yourself a sinner saved from sin : Luke xxi. 15. A 
sanctified heart is better than an eloquent tongue. Keep Christ 
in your heart, and a bridle on your tongue. Look at every word 
before you trust it out of your mouth. The way to become a 
good speaker, is first to become an attentive hearer, [mprove 
what you have, and God will give you all you need ; Phil, iv. 1 ( .). 



126 OF THE MEANS OF GRACE. 

"He maketh me to lie down in green pastures ; he leadeth me beside the 
still waters. " — Ps. xxiii. 2. 

THE more we do for God, the more we are indebted to him ; 
because he gives us the more ; and in order to get every good 
thing from him, we have only to walk uprightly before him : Ps. 
lxxxiv. 11. And nothing produces so much comfort to the soul, 
as a knowledge of what God is to us. " I am the good Shepherd," 
saith Jesus : John x. 11. Thou art my Shepherd, says the be- 
liever. Experience had well taught David the duty of a shep- 
herd. How watchful to preserve in the time of danger ! how 
careful to guide and feed all committed to his care ! But herein 
is the peculiar love of the Shepherd of our souls ; he " laid down 
his life for the sheep:" John x. 15. A sheep is a weak, silly 
creature, and is often bleating and making a noise when it needs 
nothing; so do we. Though it knows its shepherd, hears his 
voice, and will follow him, still it is naturally prone to wander 
from the fold; and, if left to itself, would often leap into the 
very jaws of death; or perish with hunger in the barren lanes, or 
on the unfruitful common ; so foolish are we also. Hence arise 
our distress and unnecessary bleatings ; we too frequently forget 
the dying-love, the covenant-engagements, and watchful care, of 
our Shepherd. The ordinances of God are the rich pastures 
which he has provided for his sheep ; but were we left to our- 
selves, we should never visit them, nor stay in them when there. 
But the voice of the Lord, our Shepherd, hath the pre-eminence ; 
and he not only causeth us to pass through, but, " He maketh us 
to lie doivn in green pastures" while he himself guards us : 
Isa. xxvii. 3. The new man feeds upon the word of life, which 
furnishes milk for babes : 1 Pet. ii. 2 ; and strong meat for those 
of full age : Heb. v." 14. Those who are fed by God, are led by 
him. " He leadeth them beside the still waters ; " not by the 
troubled sea, nor stagnant waters, but still ivaters; living streams, 
flowing from the living fountain, the consolations of his word 
and Spirit; which not only refresh, but cleanse: Jer. xxxiii. 8. 
Prize, highly prize, the means of grace, public, social, and private ; 
and God will abundantly bless you with the means ; but do not 
mistake the means for the end, 



OP THE MEANS OF GRACE. 127 

" Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that 
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be 
damned. " — Mark xvi. 15, 16. 

HERE we have the commission given by our Lord to the 
primitive preachers of the gospel ; but it was not confined 
to them alone, being intended for all who then did, or ever 
should, sustain that office or character. We are here informed, 

First. To whom the Apostles were sent; 1st. "Into all the 
world" For there was no part of the world but needed salva- 
tion ; inasmuch as all the world had sinned against God ; and by 
so doing had brought death upon themselves : Rom. v. 12. All the 
world had revolted, and wandered from God ; and God was gra- 
ciously pleased to send a proclamation of peace after them : Isa. 
liii. 6. 2d. " To every creature " in all the world. Their preach- 
ing was not to be confined to a favored few ; because all were 
equally guilty, and under the same curse : Gal. iii. 10. And, 3d. 
Every creature was the creature of God ; though in a lost condi- 
tion : Ps. c. 3. And no one having any righteousness of his own, 
the Redeemer would have his righteousness made known to all : 
Rom. iii. 10, 11. 

Secondly. What they were commissioned to preach ; "the gos- 
pel." 1st. Gospel signifies " good tidings/' or good news : Luke 
ii. 10 ; and includes whatever Christ has taught us in his word : 
Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. 2d. The gospel exhibits Christ as a glori- 
fied Redeemer, great in dignity : Rev. iii. 21 ; in power : Matt, 
xxviii. 18 ; in possessions : John iii. 35 ; in authority : Phil. ii. 
8-11. 3d. This glorious Saviour must be preached in all the 
world ; because God gave him to the world ; so that the world 
has a claim to him on that account : John iii. 16-18 ; and he is 
the propitiation for the sins of the whole world : 1 John ii. 2. 
Hence, 4th. He must be preached to every creature; because 
every creature sustains the character of those he came to save : 1 
Tim. i. 15. 

Thirdly. The results that would follow their preaching. All 
men are damned, i.e. condemned, before they believe : John iii. 
19. "He that believeth" with the heart: Acts viii. 37; and 
evinces it by his works : James ii. 15-17 ; "shall be saved" from 
sin and its evils. 



128 OF FRUITFULNESS. 

"J will be as the dew unto Israel : he shall g, ow as the lily, and cast forth 
his roots as Lebanon. " — Hos. xiv. 5. 

/^\ ODLINESS is profitable unto all things, having promise of 
VJ~ the life that now is, and of that which is to come : 1 Tim. 
iv. 8. Observe, 

1st. To all who are Israelites indeed, God will not only give 
them what they need, but will be that unto them, u I will be as the 
clew unto Israel" He will be their instructor ; his doctrine shall 
fall on them like dew or small rain, on the grass or tender herb : 
Deut. xxxii. 2. He will give them to know more and more of 
himself; for he will visit them as the rain visits the earth: 
Hos. vi. 3. And by being thus refreshed with his continued 
visits, their souls will become like a well-watered garden: Isa. 
lviii. 11. When Israel was in the wilderness they had dew, but 
there was manna in it : Exod. xvi. 14 ; and so the graces of the 
Spirit are manna hid in the dew : John i. 16. The grace that 
God gives thus freely, shall not be in vain. For, 

2d. " They shall grow as the lily." True grace is growing grace. 
The root of the lily lies in the ground all winter as though it 
"were lost; but when the dews of spring come to refresh it, it 
grows a great deal in a little time : and then appears a lovely 
Hower : Matt. vi. 29. So the grace of God improves young con- 
verts, and is the comeliness of the soul : Ezek. xvi. 14. The dew 
falls softly, and oftentimes insensibly ; so the truths of God upon 
the souls of men. The lily grows fast and looks well, but soon 
fades, and is easily plucked up. Therefore, 

3d. " Israel shall cast forth his roots as Lebanon ; " as the trees 
of Lebanon ; which, when well rooted, cannot be plucked up : 
Amos ix. 15. As the growth of a tree depends on the root, so 
we depend on Christ, " the root and the offspring of David : " 
Rev. xxii. 16. It is by faith we become united to Christ, as the 
branch is to the vine ; and when faith works by love to the truths 
of God, they become as refreshing dew to all our other graces ; and 
make us diligent in the ways of God. That is the best faith that 
does the best work and the most of it. The faith of God's Israel 
cordially embraces the words of God, and lives upon Christ. Your 
Head is in heaven ; be careful to live there yourself. 



OF FRUITFULNESS. 129 

"He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; 
for without me ye can do nothing. " — John xv. 5. 

A FAITHLESS soul is a Christless soul, and a Christless 
soul is a fruitless one. By their fruits ye shall know 
them : Matt. vii. 20. These words suppose, 

First. That the Vine-dresser expects every branch in the vine 
to bear fruit. And why ? Because of the relation in which they 
stand to Christ, who is the true and living Vine. They are 
branches in him : Ver. 1. The Eedeemer calls himself the Vine ; 
and compares all believers in him to branches of himself, and his 
Father to the husbandman, or dresser of the vine. A mere profes- 
sion gives no man a place in the true Vine. We must abide in 
his word as our rule : John viii. 31 ; and in his merit as our 
righteousness : 1 Cor. i. 30. He that exercises faith in him, and 
love to him, feeds upon his promises and is led by his Spirit, " the 
same bringeth forth much fruit : " 2 Pet. i. 8. But what fruit 
does he expect ? 

First. ISTot bad fruit ; nor a mixture of good and bad. 1st. 
From a vine, we are taught to expect grapes : Isa. v. 2 ; and from 
a Christian, we as naturally expect the fruits of righteousness, a 
Christian life and conversation : 2 Cor. ix. 9, 10. 2d. Such fruit 
as may reasonably be expected from a healthy branch, nourished 
by the best of Vines ; hence good in quantity, and constantly 
bearing : Ver. 16. In short, 3d. Such are expected to be filled 
with good fruits : Phil. i. 11. 

Secondly. None can be fruitful without, or separate from, 
Christ. " Without me ye can do nothing" 1st. Without our 
being in Christ: Ver. 4; and Christ being in us, we cannot now, 
and never could bring forth such fruit as the Vine-dresser will 
accept. It is not enough to know we were once in him ; for 
unless we abide in him, and keep his word: Ver. 7: we shall 
become withered and unfruitful. 2d. Since we cannot be saved 
without fruit, and cannot bear it without Christ, let us be careful 
to abide in him ; and be careful that our fruit be neither declining 
in quality nor quantity: 1 Cor. xv. 58. 3d. We do not produce 
good fruit in order that we might be brought into Christ; but we 
are grafted in Christ that we might bring forth good fruit. The 
Christian lives to work, but does not work to live. 



130 OF INCREASE OF GRACE. 

" The righteous shall flourish like the palm-tree. " — Ps. xcii. 12. 

THE palm-tree is found in many warm countries, but especially 
in the north of Africa, ami the south of Asia. Many palms 
grew on the banks of Jordan ; but the best grew about Jericho 
and Engedi ; hence Jericho is called "the city of palm-trees:" 
Dent, xxxiv. 3. The palm-tree is here made an emblem of a 
righteous man's person and condition ; and. if historians are to be 
relied upon, the analogy is certainly a very striking one. For. the 
palm-tree, it is said. 1st. Grows upright and tall : so do the right- 
eous ; who are candid, sincere, and upright in the sight of God 
and man : 2 Sam. xxii. 24 : and though they are planted on the 
earth, it is in the Lord's house : and Jesus their top. or Head, 
being above all things, they might be said to grow so tall as to 
reach from earth to heaven. 2d. The palm-tree is ever green : 
and so is the believer : Ps. i. 3 : tor the trees of the Lord are 
full of sap: Ps. civ. 16. 3d. The palm-tree is not injured by 
burdens being hung upon it : neither is the Christian : for his 
troubles, or burdens, only serve to drive him to God. who has 
engaged to sustain both him and his burden: Ps. lv. 22. 4th. 
The more the palm-tree is exposed to the sun. the better is its 
growth : so the believer,, the more he basks beneath the rays of 
the Sun of righteousness, the more healthy and active he is : Mai. 
iv. 2. 5th. Palm-trees, while their juice continues, become more 
fruitful as they grow older : so do Christians grow from babes to 
young men. and then fathers : bringing forth fruit in proportion : 
John xv. 5. 6th. The palm-tree is said to bear three or four hun- 
dred pounds of dates every year : how abundant also is the fruit 
of the righteous ! that is. their counsel, example, instruction. &c. : 
Prov. xi. 30 : 1 Cor. xv. 58. 7th. There is a kind of wine extracted 
from the palm-tree : how reviving, comforting, and encouraging, 
is the seasonable advice, and suitable relief, which the sufferings 
and afflictions of the poor and distressed extract from the heart, 
hand, and lips of the righteous ! Job xxix. 13. Sth. They also 
extract from it a kind of honey : how sweet, pleasant, and heal- 
ing, is even a word when fitly spoken : Prov. xxv. 11. 9th. The 
female bears no fruit if planted without the male : so we without 
Christ : John xv. 5. 




" The righteous simii flourish like the palm-tree." — Page 130. 



OF INCREASE OF GRACE. 131 

11 But he giveth more grace. ' ' — James iv. 6. 

MANY, who are called Christians, have great wealth in their 
hands, but no grace in their hearts ; hence, they do no 
good with their goods : Matt. xix. 24. Such possess much, but 
inherit nothing, that can afford true contentment. But wher- 
ever God gives grace, "he giveth more grace; " for unto him that 
hath, and improves what he hath, more shall be given : Mark 
iv. 24, 25. A child of grace never thirsts for any other streams, 
than those which flow from the Rock, Christ : John iv. 14. All 
the grace, favor, or good-will, which flows from God to sinners, 
runs through Jesus Christ ; in whom all their treasures are hid : 
Col. ii. 3. It is out of his fulness we have received grace for the 
sake of grace ; an abundance of grace ; grace upon grace : John 
i. 16. Surely, believers ought to be humble, when they have to 
come to Jesus for all their supplies. It was in Christ Jesus, 
that God first gave us his grace : Eom. v. 20, 21. He called us 
by his grace into grace : Gal. i. 6 ; justified us by his grace : Eom. 
iii. 24 ; we are comforted by his grace : 2 Cor. i. 3, 4 ; He sanc- 
tifies us by his grace : Eom. xv. 15, 16 ; we shall be brought to 
glory through grace : 1 Pet. i. 13. Are not these aboundings of 
grace enough to make you humble and thankful ; and to make 
sin more than ever hateful ? Is this not sufficient to make you 
contented and happy ? ISTo, say you ; I am so vile, so unbeliev- 
ing, and so ungrateful, that I fear I shall forfeit all these things ; 
so you would, and quickly too, if you stood in yourself ; but you 
stand in Christ ; therefore, here is a promise from a faithful 
God : " He giveth more grace." 

Consider what God has already done for you. 1st. You have 
the unchanging, everlasting love of God fixed on you : Jer. xxxi. 
3. 2d. You have the life, death, and intercession of the Son of 
God for your righteousness: 1 Cor. i. 30. 3d. And that you 
may have no doubt of this, the Spirit has bestowed his graces 
upon you: Gal. iv. 6. And, 4th. To encourage and enable you 
to persevere, you have all his precious promises made over to 
you in Christ Jesus: 2 Cor. i. 20. But, in short, all things are 
yours : 1 Cor. iii. 22 ; and over and above that, k * He giveth more 
grace." Improve the grace you have, and ask for more. 



132 OF GRACE TO PERSEVERE. 

"When I said, My foot slippeth ; thy mercy, Lord, held me up." — Ps. 

xciv. 18. 

VAIN thoughts, and carnal reasonings, like unwelcome visit- 
ors, will often intrude upon the Christian's mind. Though 
our minds are renewed by grace, we being born again of the 
Spirit, still our old friends, the world, the flesh, and the devil, 
too frequently annoy us by their visits. The best of saints have 
been troubled by the worst of thoughts ; and sometimes those 
thoughts have grown into words. God's dear children, in times 
of sore trial, often say things they are afterwards sorry for. 

" When " visited with great pain, sore trials, severe conflicts, 
and dark clouds, " 1" who had experienced so much of thy good- 
ness, and so many gracious interpositions of thy providence and 
grace, "said, My foot slippeth." Yea, I said it, for I verity 
thought it. I made quite sure it was a gone-case with me ; and 
cried out, like one on a crumbling precipice, "My foot slippeth I" 
I must fall ! my strength is gone — my troubles are great — I 
can bear them no longer — my friends are become my foes — their 
envenomed darts are flying so thickly around me — and, after all 
my profession, there is no avoiding it — I must fall by the hand 
of my enemy ! save me ! My foot slippeth ! When I thus 
reasoned with unbelief, and thought I had no foundation to rest 
my faith upon; and actually said as much; even then, "thy 
mercy, Lord" the gifts of thy mercy, and the hope I had in it, 
" held me up" kept me from falling, and frustrated the designs 
of all my enemies : 2 Cor. i. 8, 9. It frequently happens, that 
the wicked oppressors have great power : Ps. xxxvii. 35 ; and 
then it is no marvel if the oppressed have to stand alone, like 
Paul before Nero : 2 Tim. iv. 16. You, too, may have to travel 
a rugged path, and be ready to come to the conclusion that your 
enemies are so numerous, your difficulties so great, and your 
strength so small, that you cannot possibly hold out to the end. 
" My foot slippeth ! " say you. But who is it tells you so ? Not 
the word of God ! No, that tells you to " hope in God, for thou 
shalt yet praise him : " Ps. xlii. 5. He who gave you grace to 
fear, will also give you grace to persevere. Improve the grace 
you have, and that will improve you. 



OF GRACE TO PERSEVERE. 133 

" Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work 
in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. ' ' — Phil. i. 6. 

THE gospel is the power of God : Eom. i. 16. Christ is the 
power of God : 1 Cor. i. 24. And it is by the same power 
that dead souls are quickened: Eph. ii. 1; the natural enmity of 
their hearts slain, and they made willing to perform the good 
pleasure of his will : Phil. ii. 13. We have here, Paul's confident 
hope of the believer's salvation. That the work begun would cer- 
tainly be completed. Observe, 

1st. The work itself. It is the work of peace in the soul, 
operating in the understanding, conscience, will, affections, the 
whole man : 2 Cor. v. 17. 

2d. The character it sustains. It is a "good ivork." Good, 
inasmuch as it is the object God had in view, when, in his infinite 
goodness, he gave his beloved Son : John iii. 16. Good, as it 
respects its subject. It gives rest to the laboring conscience, puri- 
fies the heart, and elevates that which is low : 1 John iii. 1. 
Good, as it regards others. True Christians are real blessings to 
those around them, lights to illuminate, salt to season, and their 
influence is extensive : Matt. v. 13-16. 

3d. Its Author. It forms no part of our common nature, 
which grows up as we grow : 2 Cor. ii. 14. Neither is it pro- 
duced by education :. 1 Cor. i. 20, 21. It is the effect of divine 
influence, in its commencement j "He hath begun it;" in its con- 
tinuance and completion : John iii. 6-8. "He will perform it;" 
he will carry on what he has begun, " until the day of Jesus 
Christ ; " and then the work will be complete, and God be all in 
all : 1 Cor. xv. 28. Of this the Apostle has no doubt. Hence, 

4th. He assures us, that whatever doubts he might have on 
other subjects, he was "confident of this very thing;" that God 
would never leave his work in an unfinished state, like those who 
begin a work without counting the cost; and find, when too late, 
they are unable to finish what they had begun. Had he not good 
reason to be confident ? surely he who had pardoned the rebel, 
would save the child : Horn. v. 8, 9. Be of good courage, and 
exert the strength you have.- Kill sin, and then, it is certain, sin 
will never kill you. 



134 OF SANCTIFIED AFFLICTIONS. 

" As a man chasteneth his son, so the Lord thy God chasteneth thee." — 
Deut. viii. 5. 

AFFLICTIONS may, yea, will attend you all through the 
journey of life : John xvi. 33 ; but you should always 
recollect, they do not come by chance : Job v. 6, 7 ; and that, 
though the cross may hang heavy, and be very bitter, it is very 
short : 2 Cor. iv. 17. We should consider divine correction, 

First. As the means of religious improvement ; for, 1st. Afflic- 
tions are a restraint from evil ; with them God frequently hedges 
up our way as he did the Jews : Hos. ii. 6, 7. He afflicts in order 
to save. He keeps man from that which would destroy him ; and 
only removes those plearares that would poison our souls. He 
has to block up our way to keep us in his way. 2d. Affliction 
excites us to duty. We are too apt to settle down and be at ease, 
when we ought to be at work ! God mercifully rouses us from 
our lethargy ; and embitters earth, to raise our hearts to heaven ; 
and by afflictions brings us to his footstool : Ps. cxix. 67, 71. 3d. 
Affliction is a needful, though painful ordeal. The Christian 
shines brightest when surrounded by names ; they illuminate and 
refine, without consuming him : 1 Pet. i. 7. 4th. Affliction is a 
seasonable monitor. Prosperity has a tendency to produce a most 
ungrateful effect ; for, such is our corruption, we are never more 
ready to forget God, than when loaded with his benefits : Prov. 
xxx. 8, 9. 

Second. Divine correction should be considered as the disci- 
pline of paternal regard. For, "As a man chasteneth his son" &c. 
A father corrects his children, 1st. With reluctance. He tries 
every other method — the eloquence of love, the entreaty of affec- 
tion, the promise of reward, &c, before he inflicts punishment. 
So our heavenly Father. He never takes up the rod till gentler 
means have failed : Heb. xii. 6-11. 2d. With wisdom. In a way 
most calculated to produce reform, with calm, clear, and most 
deliberate wisdom, a father corrects his child. So our heavenly 
Parent, as it regards the time, manner, and instrument. 3d. With 
tenderness. Cruelty should never be brought into paternal disci- 
pline. Our heavenly Father afflicts with one hand, while he sup- 
ports with the other : Ps. ciii. 13. 



OF SANCTIFIED AFFLICTIONS. 135 

" We glory in tribulations also, knowing that tribulation worketh patience ; 
and patience, experience; and experience, hope." — Rom. v. 3,4. 

COXSOLATIOXS frequently corne wrapped up in afflictions. 
The glory of the Lord never appeared brighter to Jacob, 
than it did on the night he made the God of the universe his 
landlord ; when he stretched his wearied body on the cold, damp 
ground, with a few stones for his pillow, and the star-spangled 
canopy of heaven for his only covering : Gen. xxviii. 10-15. 
While the stones flew about Stephen's ears, the heavens were 
opened to his eyes : Acts vii. 59, 60. Whenever God afflicts you, 
always remember it is to humble you : Lam. iii. 19, 20. " We 
glory in tribulations;" for we are not only assured they cannot 
harm us : 2 Cor. iv. 17 ; but that we must pass through them to 
our possessions : Acts xiv. 22. The saint's happiness is a growing 
happiness ; it is peace, grace, glory, and joy in the hope of it : 
Col. i. 27. The Christian glories in all sorts of tribulation ; but 
especially that which comes for righteousness' sake : Acts v. 41. 
The trial of one grace, begets and improves another. " Tribula- 
tion worketh patience" when the grace of God works in and with 
the tribulation ; it improves our patience, and does it more good 
than it possibly can do us harm. How should we know that we 
had any patience, if it was never tried ? Those who have the 
most patience in tribulations, have the greatest divine consola- 
tions : 2 Thess. ii. 16. " Patience worketh experience" serves to 
prop up our "hope" and keeps us from falling into sadness: 
1 Thess. iv. 13. When God puts his children in the House-of- 
correction, it is that they might get instruction : Ps. cxix. 71. 
Poor Job's tribulations wrought patience, and that patience pro- 
duced an approbation : Job ii. 3. When a top is whipped most, 
it goes best. But in all your afflictions, remember God is a kind, 
impartial Father, who loves all his children too well to withhold 
the rod, when he sees their faults are such as to need correction : 
Ps. xciv. 12. You may kill bees with honey; and quicken them 
with vinegar. Prosperity may kill our graces ; but adversity 
will quicken them. Be always afraid of Binning; but never afraid 
of suffering: 2 Tim. ii. 12. Your Buffering time will soon be over. 



136 OF SANCTIFIED AFFLICTIONS. 

"He maketh sore, and he bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make 
whole. " — Job v. 18. 

PATIEXT Job was as wicked by nature as any sinner that 
ever was born. True, lie was an eminent saint ; but who 
made him so ? The same Saviour who sanctifies us. Look, like 
Job, upon all you enjoy as the free gift of a God of unchanging 
love ; hold their giver fast, but hold the gifts with a loose hand. 
Perhaps some of your sweetest enjoyments are fled, and you are 
now saying, "The Lord hath taken away." Well, admitting he 
has, He first gave ; and his love is the same when he takes, as 
when he gives ; and you have good cause to say, for both, " blessed 
be the name of the Lord : " Job i. 21. " He maketh sore," with 
providential afflictions ; but then, "He bindeth up " with spiritual 
consolations : Zech. xiii. 9. The sorest sore, is not to be sensible 
of our sore ; but to be conscious of it, is more than half the cure : 
2 Chron. vi. 29. The Lord may have an occasion to use the 
incision-knife, but he never leaves open the wound. " He wound- 
eth, and his hands bind up : w Ps. cxlvii. 3. Though he wounds 
his people with afflictions, he strengthens and supports them 
under them. The hand that makes the wound, never fails to 
apply the cure. " He maketh whole" then all is well again ; and 
the patient sufferer acknowledges, that all has been for his good : 
Ps. cxix. 71. Divine Wisdom can never make a wound too deep 
for infinite love to cure : Isa. xix. 22. If he convinces and causes 
the sinner to mourn, he always comforts the mourner : Isa. lxi. 2. 
If he humbles, it is that he might exalt : Ps. xxxvii. 34. When 
he tears the impenitent, let them heal them who can : Hos. v. 14 ; 
but humble penitents may say, "He has torn, and he will heal 
us : " Hos. vi. 1. Your comforts may fly from you ; but the God 
of comfort will abide with you : Dan. xi. 35. Earthly comforts, 
like glass, though bright, are easily broken. By yielding to 
temptations, we lose our consolations ; and bring on afflictions, 
which make the wound to bleed afresh. When afflictions befall 
you, let them never appal you, while you have a Saviour near. 
When your soul is bowed down beneath a load of afflictions, take 
them to, and roll them upon the Lord. 



OF SANCTIFIED AFFLICTIONS. 137 

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far 
more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. " — 2 Cor. iv. 17. 

INFINITELY beyond all the reasonings of vain philosophy, 
is the Christian's sight by faith; to reconcile his mind to 
afflictions, endnre with patience under, and give victory over 
them. When the prospects of earth fail you, let it not distress 
yon ; seeing better comforts await yon : John xiv. 1, 2. Before 
yon look upon your afflictions to be heavy, always weigh them 
in the balances of the sanctuary ; put your earthly sufferings in 
one scale, and your heaven of glory in the other ; and then you 
will find your afflictions to be light, and your glory an eternal 
weight : Phil. iii. 7, 8. Your cross may seem heavy, but your 
crown will be bright : 1 Tim. iv. 8. Unbelief would have you 
look npon your afflictions as long and heavy ; but faith will have 
it they are "short and light;" and are appointed to prepare you 
for your crown of glory : 2 Tim. iv. 8. While you feel the 
sharpness of your afflictions, consider the shortness of them ; 
"but for a moment;" and then all your sighing will be turned 
into singing: John xvi. 20; your sorrow into joy; your lamenta- 
tions into consolations ; your ashes into beauties ; and your sack- 
cloth into fine linen : Isa. lxi. 3. That wound is not always the 
worst, that smarts the most. Afflictions, at their worst, are only 
like walking over a rough road to a comfortable house ; or through 
a dark passage into a light room : Jas. i. 12. Yet, it is certain, 
that all the pious are not equally afflicted and tried ; notwith- 
standing all have tribulations while in this world : 2 Tim. iii. 12. 
They have some afflictions in common with mankind, and others 
peculiar to themselves. This interesting passage, 

1 st. Specifies present affliction ; " For our light affliction, which 
is but lor a moment." 

2d. Describes future happiness; "A far more exceeding and 
eternal weight of glory." 

3d. Sue^ests useful instruction : it being well calculated to 
edify and profit every suffering saint. Your night will be soon 
turned into day, and your cross into a crown : Rev, xxii. 5. It 
is better to be afflicted here, than hereafter. Your heavenly 
Father counts every stroke, and will never suffer you to receive 
one too many. 



138 OF AX INTEREST IN GOD AS OUR GOD. 

" Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. 
Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust ; for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, 
and the earth shall cast out the dead." — Isa. xxvi. 19. 

EZEKIEL was commanded to " prophesy upon, and preach 
unto, the dry bones ; " and, strange as it may appear to 
us, they were made to live, and regard his voice : Ezek. xxxvii. 
1-10. Let us inquire, 

1st. "Who are the " dead men " here spoken of ? " By one 
man sin entered into the world, and death by sin ; and so death 
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Eom. v. 12. 
" And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and 
sins : " Eph. ii. 1. And you being dead in your sins and the 
uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with 
him, (Christ,) having forgiven you all trespasses : Col. ii. 13. 
2d. To whom do these dead men belong ? The prophet says, 
" Thy dead men shall live.'' So that, it is plain, they are God's 
dead men ; who declares, " Behold all souls are mine : " Ezek. 
xviii. 4. " Know ye that the Lord he is God ; it is he that hath 
made us, and not we ourselves ; Ave are his people, and the sheep 
of his pasture : n Ps. c. 3. 3d. All these dead men shall live ; 
u Together with my (Christ's) dead body shall they arise" "For 
as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." 
"Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death 
is swallowed up in victory : " 1 Cor. xv. 22-54. " God sent his 
Son into the world that we might live through him : n 1 John 
iv. 9. And the Son says, " Because I live, ye shall live also : " 
John xiv. 19. 4th. Who are they who make up the dead body 
of Christ ? " But I would have you know, that the head of 
every man is Christ : " 1 Cor. xi. 3. " So we, being many, are 
one body in Christ, and every one members one of another : " 
Bom. xii. 5. oth. The exhortation given to those " that dicell in 
the dust" " Awake and sing!" "^Therefore he saith, Awake 
thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give 
thee light." 6th. Why are they that " dwell in the dust," called 
upon to awake and sing ? Because the Lord promises that his 
" doctrine shall drop as the rain, his speech distil as the dew, as 
the small rain upon the tender herb : " Deut. xxxii. 2. 



OF AN INTEREST IN GOD AS OUR GOD. 139 

"God is not ashamed to be called their God ; for he hath prepared for them 
a city r — Heb. xi. 16. 

SUCH is the amazing condescension of God, that notwithstand- 
ing the meanness of our nature, the vileness of our practice, 
and the great poverty of our present condition, he is not ashamed 
of us. Observe, 

1st. All true believers have an interest in God ; and none else 
can, with consistency, call him their God : Heb. xi. 6. It is by faith 
we lay hold on God, and become interested in him and his fulness. 

2d. He is called their God ; yea, he declares himself to be " The 
God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. " 
" So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abra- 
ham : " Gal. iii. 9. 

3d. " He is not ashamed to be called their God." How careful, 
then, ought they to be, never to become a shame and reproach to 
him ! and never be ashamed to be called his people. It is our 
privilege to call him ours. He has put his Spirit within our 
hearts, that we might call him " Father : " Rom. viii. 15. God 
regards a saint in rags, more than a sinner in robes : Ps. cxxxviii. 
6. God neither takes nor gives empty titles ; if he is called their 
God, he will act as such ; and provide for them accordingly. 

4th. " He hath prepared for them a city ; " so that it shall 
never be said, he has adopted a people for his own without 
making suitable provision for them. The whole of the crumbling 
tabernacles now occupied by his people, will soon be levelled with 
the dust ; but no matter, since he hath "prepared for them a city; " 
a place of happiness every way suited to that relation into which 
he has taken them : 1 John iii. 2. The people of God are now 
scattered all over the face of the globe; but his gracious design 
is to have them all to dwell in one place; hence "he hath pre- 
pared for them a city" sufficiently commodious for his whole 
family : Heb. xi. 10. 

You need no more to make you happy, than to have the Lord 
for your God: Ps. cxliv. 15; for he is your strength, your song, 
your salvation: Tsa. xii. 2. It is true you have work to do, 
temptations to grapple with, and afflictions to bear: and you are 
weak in yourself; but he will strengthen you by his grace: 
Zeph. iii. 17. God has done much lor you; and will do more. 



140 OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD. 

" And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the Lord 
your God." — Joel ii. 27. 

YAEIOUS are the means the Lord makes use of to make 
himself known to his people. Sometimes he does it by 
chastisements : Ezek. vi. 7 ; and at others, by comforts : Ezek. 
xxxvii. 13. When God makes himself known unto us by giving 
us peace, joy, and plenty, it is evident that he has pardoned our 
sins, and accepted of us through his beloved Son ; and that he is 
as much our God as ever he was ; having taken us into covenant 
and communion with him ; and given us to know " that he is in 
the midst of us:" Eom. v. 1, 2. There are many who live in 
plenty, while they have great poverty ; being destitute of real 
piety : Eev. iii. 17. The more God blesses some, the less they 
bless God; and turn their temporal mercies into curses : Jer. v. 7. 
Earthly comforts should give wings to our devotion; but, too 
often, they are like lead to our wings : Mark x. 22. Nothing can 
harm the Israel of God, while the God of Israel is in their midst : 
Lev. xxvi. 12. Some people are so full of religion, they cannot 
tell whether they have a God or not. But not so with the true 
Israel; for they kxow that the "Lord is their God;" and the 
most ardent desire of every soul, whose God is the Lord, is, that 
all the world might be made to know that he is their God. What- 
ever comes from God leads to him. We have nothing whereof to 
glory in ourselves, nor over others. God's Israel, by nature, were 
all children of wrath even as others : Eph. ii. 3 ; and in their flesh 
dwells no good thing; yet, through grace, they are "created 
anew in Christ Jesus, unto good works : " Yer. 10. God looks 
upon the work of his new creation with delight ; pronounces it 
good; and records .the graces of his Israel; but blots out their 
sins. There are none who would not love God full as well as we, 
and perhaps much better, were they but as well acquainted with 
him. Hast thou not, then, a heart to pity, a tongue to pray for, 
those who know not God ? Yea, thou hast ; for it is impossible 
for any one to be a Christian and not possess the Spirit of Christ, 
who prayed for his very murderers. Your hopes are not sus- 
pended on your own faithfulness to grace, but on the faithfulness 
of God : Acts x. 34, 35. 



OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD. 141 

"Ha man love me, he will keep my words ; and my Father will love him, 
and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." — John xiv. 23. 

OUR love keeps pace with, our faith. As faith grows stronger, 
love grows warmer. A soul in its first love may be ready 
to think, that what the Saviour did and suffered for sinners was 
to procure the love of God the Father to them, and to appease 
the fury of his wrath against them. But this is an error. "For 
God so loved the world, (of sinners,) that he gave his only be- 
gotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, 
but have everlasting life : " John iii. 16. " God commencleth his 
love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died 
for us : " Rom. v. 8. By sin, we made ourselves children of wrath : 
Eph. ii. 3 ; and God, by his grace, made us objects of his love : 1 
John iv. 9, 10. All who believe in Christ are sure to love him ; 
and all who love him "keep his words:" John xv. 14. We must 
evince our love to Jesus by keeping his word ; and he will prove 
his love to us by keeping to his word : John xiv. 15, 16. Where 
love leads, duty follows ; and where love to the Son leads, love 
from the Father follows. " My Father mil love him" and will give 
such manifestations of his love, that no room shall be left for a 
doubt : 1 John iv. 16. For they shall have his smiles and his 
embraces : Prov. viii. 17 ; and his Spirit, which I will pray him 
to send them: Matt. x. 19, 20. "And ice icill come nnto him." 
He does not say, /will come ; no, but " We will come unto him ; " 
for, in this sense, it was impossible for one to come without the 
other ; they being both one : John xiv. 9. Those who love Christ 
will not be put off with merely having a messenger from him ; 
but he and bis Father will come unto them; so that our not bei ng 
able to go to him shall not prevent our having an interview with 
each other: 2 Chron. xv. 2. Neither shall it be a transient visit. 
nor an occasional call; for, it is added, "We will make our abode 
with him." We will live with such an one, while here below; till 
such time that it will be for the good of the one, and the glory 
of the other, for all to live together above; and then I will come 
again, and Bee that my friends are carefully removed : John xii. 26. 
However you may doubt of your love to God, never doubt of his 
love to you. 



r^ 



142 OF AN INTEREST IN THE LOVE OF GOD. 

" The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty ; he will save, he will 
rejoice over thee with joy ; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with 
singing." — Zeph. iii. 17. 

"VTOTIOXS of the Lord may satisfy dry, formal professors; 
-L ^ but those who are truly alive to God can rest nothing short 
of the enjoyment of his presence. Dry up your tears, pluck up 
your spirits, give your fears to the winds, dread not your enemies, 
put on courage. For, 

1st. " The Lord thy God is in the midst of thee." When David 
went to meet the giant of Gath, lie uttered not a word of his own 
might or power; because the might of the Lord his God was his 
only support ; so Paul, he was able to do all things in the strength 
of Christ : Phil. iv. 13. The greater your affliction and poverty, 
the more numerous and powerful your foes, the greater reason 
you have to trust in God, who is mighty : Ps. cxxi. 7, 8. His 
mighty salvation is already begun in your heart ; and you have 
no cause for dejection. For, 

2d. •" He will save." He is able to save ; and has already " 
given you abundant proof of his willingness ; his word declares 
it ; and his work proves it. Cast away all vain notions of terms 
and conditions of salvation; seeing it is written, "He will 
save." Who then dare say that anything can prevent it ? As- 
suredly as his name is Jesus, he will save his people from their 
sins ; and that is all he came to save us from ; and all we have to 
fear : Matt. i. 21. Cast all upon the will of Jesus. For, 

3d. " He icill rejoice over thee with joy" He came to seek and 
to save that which was lost: Luke xix. 10. "He shall see of the 
travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied : " Isa. liii. 10. When 
a sinner is converted, saints are comforted; and angels rejoice; 
and God has joy : Luke xv. 10. And, 

4th. He is so well pleased, that he declares he will " rest in his 
love." He will no longer chastise for those sins over which he 
has caused you to mourn ; but will so fix his love upon you, that 
you shall evermore be one of his own family : 2 Cor. vi. 16-18. 
Your sins caused him grief, but your conversion caused him much 
joy ; yea, "joy over thee with singing." 



OF AN INTEREST IN THE LOVE OF GOD. 143 

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his 
Son to be the propitiation for our sins." — 1 John iv. 10. 

SOME have represented God as burning with implacable rage 
against the human family, till Christ died to appease his 
wrath and make him merciful. This is an unscriptural idea. 
Christ died because God was merciful ; not to render him so ; but 
to make a channel through which a stream of salvation might flow 
to all mankind. Observe, 

1st. The love of God displayed in sending his Son. "Herein is 
lover Unparalleled in its nature. Love — undeserved, unso- 
licited, disinterested, never invited by anything good in man: 
Gen. iii. 15. " Herein is love : " immense in its extent, reaching 
to every age and clime, to every character and condition, even to 
the most abandoned and abominable of the human race : 1 Tim. i. 
15. Love without an equal — love like an ocean, without bottom 
or shore, deluging the whole world : 1 John ii. 2. Mighty love ! 
Love covering every sin, and comprehending every blessing : 1 
John iv. 16. Glorious love ! in its purpose and final issue ; de- 
signed to procure holiness, pardon, and heaven. 

2d. God thus loved us, when we had no love for him. " Not 
that we loved God" No indeed ! for our minds were enmity, 
in the abstract, against him : Eom. viii. 7. Amazing goodness ! 
" He loved us" Boundless love ! Love extending from eternity 
to eternity! and so deep that it reaches the vilest sinner and 
lowest case : Ps. ciii. 8. Love that brought Jesus from the 
height of glory to the depth of shame, from great riches to ex- 
treme poverty : 2 Cor. viii. 9. For, 

3d. " God sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." 
Herein is love ! Love that induced the God of love to give his 
only begotten Son to be a "propitiation (i.e. victim or atoning 
sacrifice : 2 Cor. v. 21) for our sins;" that he might raise sinners 
from the depths of sin and wretchedness, to the heights of holi- 
ness and happiness. Matchless love ! Love that gave the treas- 
ures of heaven to enrich earth ! Can you any longer doubt of 
your interest in his love ? It is true, he hates sin ; but where can 
you find a sinner lie docs not love ? Herein is love that demands 
your love ! Nothing can harm you but a rejection of his love. 



Ill OF AX INTEREST IN THE MERCY OF GOD. 

"He retaineth not his anger forever, because he de/ighteth in mercy/' — 
Micah vii. 18. 

MEECY ! What a welcome sound ! It is the cheerer of the 
heart, the burden of our song, the delight of heaven, the 
envy of hell, and the distinguished attribute of Gocl ! ExocL 
xxxiii. 19. As God excels in all other things, so he does in his 
manner of forgiving sins. His love is infinite, and his mercy 
matchless : Ps. ciii. 11. 12. Observe. 

1st. Though God frequently causes his people to grieve on 
account of their sins, he no sooner sees them humbled under a 
sense of their guilt, than he has compassion on them; pardons 
their sins, and consequently removes the punishment : for where 
there is no sin. there can be no punishment : Ps. lxxxvi. 5. The 
Lord is slow to anger, but swift to show mercy : ZSTeh. ix. 17. 
And why ? Because. He cannot retain his anger ; seeing he can 
be angry at nothing but sin : and that he removes when con- 
fessed : 1 John i. 9. Hence. 

2d. •■ He retaineth not his anger forever." So. his anger endur- 
eth but a little while, and his mercy endureth forever : Ps. xxx. 
5 : and cxxxvi. He first turns us to himself, and then turns 
himself to us. that he might have mercy upon us. And why all 
this care of us ? why turn his anger from us. and his love toward 
us ? Why, because. 

3d. "He delighteth in mercy:'' Isa. liv. 7. 8. It is impossible 
for a sinner to delight more in receiving mercy, than the God of 
mercy does in bestowing it. Fear not. worm Jacob. Jests the 
Saviour still lives to make intercession for you ; and because he 
lives, you shall live also : John xiv. 19. Though Jonah had to 
cry out of the belly of hell, he was not out of the reach of mercy. 
What. then, have you to fear, seeing all your enemies have been 
conquered by the cross of Christ ? The fountain of mercy never 
was fuller than it is now ; nor the God of mercy more attentive 
to the humble sinner's cry. Think not that your frequent re- 
lapses into sin can prevent your obtaining mercy : for if God does 
not pardon for your sake, he will do it for his own sake : "because 
he delighteth in mercy." Only believe what God says : that is 
faith. You have only to accept the mercy offered. 



OF AN INTEREST IN THE MERCY OF GOD. 145 

"/ will have mercy on whom I will have mercy." — Rom. ix. 15. 

MISERY is the object of mercy. Sin has made us all truly 
miserable : Ezek. xvi. 5 ; and the Lord looks upon our 
case as truly pitiable : Jer. xxxi. 18-20. All who have ears to 
hear, let them hear what the Lord saith to poor, guilty, and con- 
demned sinners. Here we have a gracious declaration from the 
lip of truth. 

1st. " I will have mercy" Though your sins may have been 
great and many, and your backslidings foul and numerous, still 
there can be no bar in the way of your salvation, while the God 
against whom you have sinned remains determined to have 
mercy : Deut. iv. 31. Admitting you have been often forgiven, 
and as repeatedly sinned, that cannot prevent His forgiving you 
now : Job xi. 6. When we forgive, we cannot forget ; but when 
God forgives, he remembers our sins no more : Hos. xi. 8, 9. The 
Lord wills to show you his goodness, to proclaim his name, to 
bestow his grace, and comfort you with his mercy in Christ Jesus. 
Observe, 

2d. " He will have mercy on whom he will" Here is a never- 
failing source of comfort; a most powerful motive to love and 
obedience ; that love and mercy which God owes to none he is 
willing to give, yea, he has freely given to thee. " 0," says the 
poor trembling soul, " were I but satisfied that I was one of those 
on whom he will have mercy, then would my soul rejoice ! " Sat- 
isfied ! Why, what more could the God of love and mercy say, 
than what he has said to satisfy you ? Hear him again. " I will 
have mercy on whom I ivill have mercy." Will he not have 
mercy on all ? The very reason assigned, why " God hath con- 
cluded all in unbelief," is, that he might have mercy upon all : 
Bom. xi. 32. And the Apostle declares, that "God our Saviour 
will have all men to be saved, and come unto the knowledge of 
the truth; " and gives as a reason, that "Christ Jesus gave him- 
self a ransom for all, to be testified in due time : " 1 Tim. ii. 3-6. 
God has mercy upon all, without assigning any other reason than 
"I will!" "He that spared not his own Son, hut delivered him 
up for is all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all 
things?" Rom. viii. :\2. All you have to i\o. is, to give your- 
self to him, 



146 of god's help. 

" The Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not, 
I will help thee." — Isa. xii. 13. 

PK OB ABLY, the church, in Isaiah's clays, had been pondering 
over her weak, helpless condition ; surrounded with ene- 
mies, trials, and difficulties ; and had been laving her case before 
the Lord, when he thus graciously commanded away her fears. 
What the Lord said then, he says now, to all who sustain the 
same character. 

Believer, thy way may be dark and dangerous ; but let not that 
distress thee ; since the -'Lord thy God'' is well acquainted with 
every step thou hast to take ; and has promised, 

1st. To "hold thy right hand:" and, lest you should make a 
mis-step, he will order all your steps : Ps. xxxvii. 23. The Lord 
does not try to quell his servants' fears by saying, " I will have 
an eye upon thee ; or I will be near thee ; " no, but " I will hold 
thy right hand.*' He will go hand-in-hand with thee ; where 
thou goest he will go, and guide thee continually : Isa. lviii. 11. 
TYTiile the Lord has hold of your hand, you have nothing to fear ; 
for should you stumble, he will keep you from falling : Ps. cxvi. 
8. You may stagger through your own weakness, but he will hold 
you up : Ps. cxxxix. 10. And, 

2d. He will encourage thy heart, by ■• saying unto thee, Fear 
not."' That is just what a fond father would say to his beloved 
child. " Pear not ! your father has fast hold of your hand; noth- 
ing shall harm you, while I am with you ; and I am not going to 
leave you; be not alarmed at anything you may see or hear." 
Should all the foes you have unite as one. and come out against 
you, you need not fear ; for they shall never be able to pluck you 
out of your Father's hand : John x. 29. You are weak ; but no 
matter. Por, 

3d. The Lord thy God declares, "Iwitt help thee." His Spirit 
will enlighten thee ; dictate all thy requests ; draw up all thy 
petitions ; and help thee whenever thou neeclest help : Roin. viii. 
26. And whenever thou criest unto him, he will not only hear 
thee, but help thee: 2 Chron. xx. 9. And when thou art in 
trouble, he will help thee out of thy trouble : Ps. 1. 15. Only let 
thy heart be right with God, and depend upon him. 



of god's help. 147 

"// God be for us, who can be against us ?" — Rom. viii. 31. 

THE apostle here speaks as one amazed, and swallowed up, 
with the contemplation and admiration of the privileges of 
the people of God ; and challenges all their enemies to do their 
worst. " If God be for us, who can be against us ? " Observe, 

1st. The ground of the challenge is, " God being for us" He is 
not only not against us, for that he never was : Kom. v. 8 ; though 
we were formerly against him : Eom. viii. 7. He was never 
against us, but our sins : Eom. i. 18. And now, our sins being 
removed, which was the sole cause of the quarrel, we have peace 
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ : Eom. v. 1 ; by whom 
God has reconciled us to himself: 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. God has 
again taken us into covenant with him ; all his attributes are for 
us ; yea, all that he has and is, is for us : Deut. xxxiii. 27. He 
is always for us, and never against us ; notwithstanding we may 
sometimes be led to think to the contrary : Gen. xlii. 36. Observe, 

2d. The challenge. "Wlio can be against us?" Who can ? Xot 
our enemies ; though they may be numerous, formidable, mali- 
cious, and cruel, still they cannot be against us, so as to prevail : 
Isa. liv. 15-17. " Who can ? " Not the devil ; for let him do his 
worst, he can go no farther than the length of his chain : 1 Cor. 
x. 13. " Who can?" Not the world; for that is already con- 
quered : John xvi. 33. Neither can principalities nor powers ; 
for they have been overcome and completely disarmed by the 
cross of Christ : Col. ii. 15. So that it matters not who comes 
out against us, for God will make them fly before us : Deut. 
xxviii. 7. We may, therefore, not only boldly ask, Who can, 
but What can be against us? " Shall tribulation, or distress, or 
persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? Nay, 
in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him 
that loved us : " Kom. viii. 35-39. Only fear God, and you have 
nothing else to four; for no matter who, nor what, surrounds you, 
while you have God to help you: 2 Kin. xvii. 39. A soul conse- 
crated to God should be resolute and brave in his service ; because 
he is sure of His timely aid. Duty is thine, be careful not to 
neglect it. Deliverance is the Lord's. 



148 of god's care. 

"He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye." — Zech. ii. 8. 

THE apple of our eye is the pupil, or small rolling ball. A 
little thing offends the eye; and, therefore, nature has so 
well guarded it. Those formal professors who reproach strict 
and circumspect walking, as needless preciseness, consider not 
that God requires us to keep his law as the apple of our eye : 
Prov. vii. 2. The law is light ; and the law in the heart is the 
eye of the soul : Ps. cxix. 105. And be it known to all the Israel 
of God, who have a tender regard for his law, that he has a far 
more tender concern for them. According to our contracted 
views, it would often seem as though God had forgotten, or alto- 
gether forsook his people. And the great opposition and diffi- 
culties, which they frequently meet with who have been brought 
out of their Babylonish captivity, is too apt to discourage those 
who have been left behind : Isa. xlix. 14, 15. But none need be 
discouraged, who are willing to return ; for Christ, our Leader, 
has wrought out for, and proclaims deliverance to, all the cap- 
tives : Luke iv. 18 ; and calls upon us to assert our rights : Isa. 
lii. 2. And in order that man might know his own weakness, 
and God's care for his people, He compares them to the "apple 
of his eye" Observe, 

1st. The saints, in themselves, are very weak and easily hurt ; 
and a very little thing chafes and pains them. But, 

2d. Being thus inseparably connected with God, as the apple 
of the eye to the body, they are infinitely dear to him. He ten- 
derly sympathizes with them in all their afflictions ; is offended 
with, and will resist, every injury done them. David, who well 
understood the true meaning of this expression, desired nothing 
more than to be kept as the apple of his eye : Ps. xvii. 8. What 
a strong expression of his tender regard is this! "He that 
toucheth you," with a design to hurt you, "toucheth the apple of 
his eye." The slightest touch of the eye causes pain; and to 
prevent which, it has a double guard; but cannot be better 
guarded than the Lord guards his people : Ps. xxxiv. 7. You 
cannot be more tender of your eye, than the Lord is of you. 
Give your fears to the winds, and your cares to the Lord, who 
cares more for you, than a father for a child. 



or god's care. 149 

"Casting all your care upon him ; for he careth for you." — 1 Pet. v. 7. 

CHKLSTIAiSrS should always be men of much prayer and lit- 
tle care ; for why should they burden themselves with care, 
who have so good a God to care for them ? The Lord has made 
it, not only the privilege, but the duty, of all believers to cast 
all their burdens or cares upon him: Ps. lv. 22. From these 
words, we learn, 

1st. That the best of men are too apt to burden themselves 
with anxious and excessive care. The apostle here calls it, " all 
your care;" intimating, that the cares of the people of God are 
various. And experience teaches all Christians, that they have 
cares of more kinds than one ; such as personal cares, family 
cares, business cares, cares for themselves, cares for others, cares 
for the church, present cares, future cares, imaginary cares, bor- 
rowed cares, besides a whole host of nameless cares. 

2d. That our cares are very burdensome, and, too often, very 
sinful ; when they arise from unbelief and diffidence. A load of 
cares wearies the body, distracts the mind, bears down the soul, 
and unfits us for the otherwise delightful service of God; hence 
they become sinful. 

3d. That the best method of getting rid of immoderate care, is 
"casting all your care upon the Lord." A firm reliance upon the 
God of providence will always reconcile us to the providence of 
God. 

" Cast all your care upon him ; " and be sure you make no 
reserve ; let not your present trials, nor your future prospects, 
discourage you : Matt. x. 30. If you have a family, and cannot 
do for them as you would, do what you can, and leave God to do 
the rest : Ps. cxxxviii. 3-6. Depend upon it, God will take good 
care of his church ; so let not that give you too much uneasiness : 
Isa. xlix. 23. And whatever your situation in life might be, you 
cannot, as a Christian, please Christ better, than by "casting all 
your care upon him." Prayer turns out care; so that it is a sure 
sign, when Christians care much, that they pray little : John xiv. 
13, 14, When the heart is lull offaitJl, there is no room for raiv. 
lie careful for nothing ; but thankful tor everything: Phil, iv. (>. 



150 GOD WILL NOT FORSAKE HIS PEOPLE. 

"For the Lord will not cast off forever/' — Lam. iii. 31. 

WHAT then ? shall we sin, because of this soul-cheering 
declaration ? Shall we, then, live as we list ; walk after 
the imaginations and desires of our evil hearts ; and fulfil all the 
lusts of the flesh ; because we believe God's gracious assurance, 
that " He ivill not cast off forever ? " God forbid ! Could any one 
who has faith in the covenant-love, the everlasting faithfulness, 
the boundless goodness, and the immutability of the precious 
promises of the Lord, find it in his heart to say, " Religion is a 
vain thing — it is of no use to serve God — we may as well let 
the reins go loose upon the neck of our lusts, and take our fill of 
sin ; "for the Lord ivill not cast off forever ! " Ko ; believer, this 
is not the language of such a faith. Faith in the love of God 
works by love to God : Gal. v. 6 ; and purifies the heart : Acts 
xv. 9. It is the goodness of God that leadeth men to repentance : 
Eom. ii. 4. The Lord loves and pities as a father, therefore he 
corrects us as children: Ps. ciii. 13. If he makes us smart for 
our sins, it is that we might have a hatred to sin ; which is the 
only thing that can harm us. If he puts us into the furnace of 
afflictions, it is only to take away our dross, and lead us to glorify 
him in the fires : Isa. xxiv. 15. God frequently afflicts his peo- 
ple ; but never casts them off : Ps. xciv. 14. He may veil himself 
in a cloud, and, to our disordered sight, it may seem as though we 
were cast off forever ; but even then it is but for a moment ; and 
everlasting kindness succeeds a moment's absence : Isa. liv. 7, 8. 
He never grieves us for his pleasure, but for our profit ; and often 
makes use of afflictions to deliver us from troubles. But while 
he holds the cup of affliction in one hand, he has the cup of con- 
solation in the other. 

The language of every true believer, on reading such precious 
declarations of God's unlimited eternal love, is, " Bless the Lord, 
my soul ! " And why ? Ans. 1st. " We love him because he 
first loved us : " 1 John iv. 19. And his love is like himself, an 
" everlasting love : " Jer. xxxi. 3. 2d. Because " we are all the 
children of God by faith in Christ Jesus : " Gal. iii. 26. 3d. " If 
children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ : " 
Rom. viii. 17. 



GOD WILL NOT FOKSAKE HIS PEOPLE. 151 

*'/ will not leave you comfortless ; I will come to you." — John xiv. 18. 

DARK seasons are never pleasant to us, but always good for 
us. A cloudless sky could never produce a good harvest. 
But there are none hopeless, who are not Christless : Eph. ii. 12, 
13. When intimate and kind friends are parting, it is common 
for them to make a request to each other — " Pray let us hear 
from you shortly, and as frequently as you can ; " this the blessed 
Jesus engaged to his friends ; and assured them, that, out of 
sight, they should not be out of mind. He saw that even the 
thought of his departure grieved them ; and therefore he promised 
them a continuance of his care. 

1st. " I will not leave you comfortless" like poor, friendless 
orphans ; for though, for a little while, I leave you without my 
visible and bodily presence, I do not leave you without comfort. 
Let it not grieve you ; you have my Father for your Father ; and 
my departure is neither total nor final. . And, 

2d. As sure as I go from you, " I will come to you." I shall 
not be long away; "why hath sorrow filled your hearts?" I 
will come to you speedily. I shall soon have conquered the king 
of terrors : and the grave will not be able to hold me ; so that 
you may expect to see me again shortly. I will come to you, and 
assist you by my Spirit in the discharge of every duty that may 
devolve upon you. I will come to you, and for you, at the end 
of time, and introduce you into the joy of your Lord : John xiv. 
1-3. 

You may at times, believer, be brought into a comfortless con- 
dition ; but your Redeemer will not leave you comfortless : Ps. 
xxx. 5. The enemy will not fail to take advantage of your sor- 
rowful seasons ; and may tauntingly ask, Now, where is your 
God ? where is your religion now ? and would fain persuade you 
that the Lord is clean gone, to return no more: Ps. xlii. 3-10. 
Think not that lie will ever leave you finally, though he may 
withdraw seemingly; for he will come to you assuredly; he will 
come and not tarry : Keb. x. 37. Our dear redeeming Lord loves 

us too well to allow us to beeonie wedded to this vile, unehaste 
world; and therefore embitters it with tribulations: John xiv. 33, 



152 OF MERCY IN CHRIST. 

"Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with 
healing in his wings ; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the 
stall." — Mai. iv. 2. 

C HEIST is the light of the world ; and is to us what the sun 
is to the world ; his presence turns darkness into day : 
John viii. 12. The Son of God is the Sun that has light in him- 
self ; and before whom darkness is made to fly. Observe, 

1st. The characters to whom this promise is made : " Unto 
you that fear my name." By the name of God, we understand is 
meant whatever He has made himself known unto us by; as, 
Himself: Ps. xxix. 2; His titles: Exod. iii. 13, 14; His attributes, 
or properties : Exod. xxxiii. 19 ; His word : Ps. v. 11 ; His wor- 
ship : 1 Kin. v. o ; His will and purpose concerning our salvation : 
Ps. xxii. 22 ; His power and assistance : 1 Sam. xvii. 45 ; His 
wisdom, power, and goodness, in creation and providence : Ps. viii. 
1-9 ; His authority : Micah v. 4 ; His honor and renown : Ps. 
lxxvi. 1. True love to God casts out all slavish fear, or dread of 
him : 1 John iv. 18. But filial fear is a holy affection of soul, 
whereby it is inclined to regard God's authority, obey his com- 
mands, and hate whatever is sinful : Jer. xxxii. 40. By the fear 
of the Lord is meant the whole of religion. 

2d. Jesus Christ is here called the " Sun of righteousness" to 
denote his infinite glory, excellency, gradual discovery to men, 
his being the source of all true light, &c. : John viii. 12. He 
rose upon this dark world ; and is the Light of men : John i. 4. 
He is himself a righteous Saviour ; brought in an everlasting 
righteousness ; and is of God made unto us righteousness : 1 Cor. 
i. 30. With this Sun of righteousness, the church is clothed : 
Rev. xii. 1. And, 

3d. Upon all that fear the name of God, He causes this Sun 
to u arise with healing in his icings," or in his rays, or beams. 
Christ came into the world, not only as a Light, but as a Physi- 
cian also; yea, and Medicine. "He healed all manner of sick- 
ness and disease among the people : " Matt. iv. 23. And still he 
heals by wholesale and retail. 

4th. The good effect produced. They shall grow up, not as 
weeds, but as calves well fed : Ps. xcii. 14. 



OF MERCY IN CHRIST. 153 

" God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever 
believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life." — John iii. 16. 

HAVING so much more matter in these words, than can be 
crowded into so small a page, let us proceed to notice, 

First. The subjects of redemption — "the world" From the 
Scriptures we learn, that by the "world" is meant, 1st. The 
whole of the human family. For it was their residence that the 
Saviour visited : Luke i. 78, 79 ; 1. Tim. i. 15 ; and it was their 
nature he assumed : Heb. ii. 14, 15. 2d. The human race exclu- 
sively : Heb. ii. 16, 17. ISTone other could call him their Saviour ; 
Luke ii. 10, 11 ; none other ascribe their salvation to him : Eev. 
i. 5, 6. 3d. The human race, without exception : 1 John ii. 2 ; 2 
Cor. v. 14, 15. 

Secondly. The necessity of redemption. All were in a perish- 
ing condition, 1st. As a penalty due to sin : Rom. v. 12. Its im- 
purity rendered us unfit for heaven : Heb. xii. 14. 2d. Through 
guilt and condemnation. All were spiritually dead, and must have 
remained so : Rom. vi. 23. 3d. Through subjection to Satan ; to 
his influence : Eph. ii. 2 ; and to his dominion : 2 Tim. ii. 26. 
This rendered us averse to the service of God : Job xxi. 14. And, 
4th. Through our inability to help ourselves ; either by wisdom : 
Jer. x. 23 ; power : Rom. v. 6 ; or merit : Hos. xiii. 9. 

Thirdly. The means of redemption. These include, 1st. The 
moving cause of our redemption. This is the love of God. " For 
God so loved" so really, freely, fully, and universally, loved "the 
world" — the guilty world: Rom. iii. 19 ; the world who had 
revolted from him : Isa. liii. 6 ; the world whose very friendship 
was enmity with him : James iv. 4 ; that, even while we were yet 
sinners, he gave the strongest possible proof of his love to the 
world of sinners: Rom. v. 8. 2d. The procuring cause, by which 
redemption is obtained for us. This is the gift of God's "only 
begotten Son" who was given to us under various characters; as 
our Prophet, to teach us: Dent, xviii. IX; as a Priest, to atone 
and intercede for us : Heb. x. L9-22; and as a King, to rule over 
and bless ns : Ps. ii. 6. There is enough in Christ for all the 
world. 



154 OF ALL GRACE FROM CHRIST. 

11 Surely, shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness and strength." — 
Isa. xlv. 24. 

A WORLDLING glories in the things of the world; but a 
Christian glories in Christ ; yea, he glories more in Christ's 
cross, than the world's crown : Gal. vi. 14. Jew and Gentile, pub- 
lican and pharisee, outwardly pious and openly profane, are all 
upon a level in point of justification before God. There is, natu- 
rally, none righteous, no, not one : Rom. iii. 10, 23. Who, then, can 
be saved ? None, by his own righteousness ; no, not even the most 
moral man upon earth, if he has nothing better than his own 
morality to recommend him : Eom. iii. 20. 

" Surely, shall one say," yea, and many more shall learn from 
the example to say the same ; and not only say it, but stick to it. 
Say what ? Why, " In the Lord have I righteousness ; " for what 
Jesus, my Lord, is in his nature, and by his life, perfectly right- 
eous, that I am in him. What I have not in myself, I have in 
him who loved me, and gave himself for me : Titus ii. 14. The 
Lord is righteousness in himself ; righteous altogether ; and can 
never act contrary to what is righteous : Ps. cxvi. 5. And we have 
our righteousness in him, who is " THE LORD OUR RIGHT- 
EOUSNESS : " Jer. xxiii. 6; and if we depend upon Christ 
for righteousness, we shall be justified by faith in him : Rom. v. 
1 ; our faith being counted to us for righteousness : Rom. iv. 3-8. 
It is not according to anything that we have done, can, or may 
do : Titus iii. 5 ; but by grace, through faith, that we are saved : 
Eph. ii. 8, 9. Do not cast away the little confidence you have in 
the Lord ; but rather hold fast ; resist unbelief ; and remember 
that your faith is your victory : 1 John v. 4. It is well to feel 
our own weakness ; but better to know that in the Lord we have 
strength. " Surely, shall one say/' — and why not you ? — " in 
the Lord have I righteousness." Let this be your triumph 
against every accusation. And let this be your victory over 
every enemy; in Jesus, my "Lord, I have strength:" Phil. iv. 
13. Complain no longer, but apply to God, through Christ, for 
all you need. Though unholy and weak in yourself, you can do 
all things, through Christ strengthening of you. 



OF ALL GRACE FROM CHRIST. 155 

"And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace." — John i. 
16. 

JESUS CHRIST received gifts for men : Ps. lxviii. 18 ; that 
he might give gifts to men : Eph. iv. 8. He was filled that 
he might fill all in all : Eph. i. 23. " And of his fulness have all 
we received." So that we have nothing whereof to boast, having 
nothing bnt what we have received. But let us see what we have 
received. 

1st. The blessing received is grace. All the blessings we 
have received from Christ are summed up in this short word, 
" Grace" This is what the angels declared to be the good will 
of God toward us : Luke ii. 14 ; and that works the good work 
of God within us : Phil. ii. 13. As the air receives light from 
the fulness of the sun, so we receive grace from the fulness of 
Christ. 

2d. The manner in which we receive it ; " grace for grace." 
And this bespeaks, 1st. The freeness of this grace. It is grace 
for the sake of Jesus Christ, given to us according to grace : 
Eom. xii. 6. The God of grace being well pleased in his Son, is 
pleased with us in him : Eph. i. 6. 2d. The fulness of this grace. 
Grace for grace is an abundance of grace, grace upon grace, one 
grace heaped upon another ; " that he might show the exceeding 
riches of his grace : " Eph. ii. 7. 3d. The sermceableness of this 
grace. Grace for grace, is grace for the promotion of grace. 
The apostles received grace : Eph. iii. 8 ; that they might com- 
municate it to others : 1 Pet. iv. 10. 4th. The substitution of 
New Testament grace in the room and stead of Old Testament 
grace. The Old Testament had grace in type, the New Testa- 
ment has grace in truth : John i. 17. 5th. The augmentation of 
grace. Grace for grace, is one grace, to improve, strengthen, 
confirm, and perfect, another grace. We receive grace that we 
might grow in grace: 2 Pet. iii. 18. And, 6th. Grace for grace 
is grace in us, answering to the grace that is in him ; as the im- 
pression upon the coin answers to tin 1 die. The grace we receive 
from Christ changes us into the same image: 2 Cor. iii. 18. All 

fulness is in Jesus; and every believer in him reeeives o( his ful- 
ness of grace as the branch receives sap from the fulness o[' the 
POOt, and the pitcher wafer from the fulness o\' the fountain. 



156 OF REDEMPTION IN CHRIST. 

''Say to the prisoners, Go forth ; to them that are in darkness, Show your- 
selves." — Isa. xlix. 9. 

TTTHEN Christ was given for a covenant of the people : ver. 

▼ V 8 ; he was given for a pledge of all the blessings of the 
covenant ; it was in him that Gocl was reconciling the world nnto 
himself: 2 Cor. v. 19. He undertook to save his people from 
their sins : Matt. i. 21 ; and to accomplish which he had to bear 
their sins : 1 Pet. ii. 21 ; and suffer for their sins : Isa. liii. 4, 5. 
And having fulfilled the law which they broke, he has become 
" the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believ- 
eth : " Eom. x. 4. He " hath redeemed us from the curse of the 
law, being made a curse for us : " Gal. iii. 13. And every demand 
of Divine Justice being fully satisfied, He has an undoubted right 
to "say to the prisoners," who were bound over to the justice of 
God, and under the power of Satan, " Go forth" Jesus Christ is 
the Mediator of the covenant ; our blessed Daysman, who hath 
made peace by the blood of his cross : Col. i. 20, 21. And his 
business now is, to free the souls of men from the bondage of 
guilt and corruption ; and bring them into the glorious liberty of 
the sons of God : Luke iv. 18. He first looses every bond, and 
then says to the prisoners, " Go forth ; " I have answered all 
claims ; you are fully emancipated : you were deep in debt to the 
Father, but the Son has made you free : and you are free indeed ; 
Go forth, and enjoy your freedom : John viii. 36. " Show your- 
selves" You have been long enough shut up "in darkness;" 
make it known that you are free, by going forth and showing 
yourselves. Xow ye are no longer children of darkness ; but 
children of the light. " Go forth — Show yourselves." Let your 
light so shine before men, that they might see you are set at 
large ; and that will tend to God's glory and your good : Matt. v. 
14-16. 

Gq, believer, do as your dear Eedeemer bids you. Do not be 
afraid to go forth and assert your rights, because you still feel 
in-bred corruption making a desperate struggle ; for that is no 
proof that Christ has not made you free, but the contrary ; for it 
is that principle of grace within you that is seeking the destruc- 
tion of sin : Eom. vii. 23. 



OF REDEMPTION IN CHRIST. 157 

"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for 
</s."_Gal. iii. 13. 

" ~V7"E are not under the law," says the apostle : Eom. vi. 14 ; 
J- " but under grace ; " and well for us that it is so ! For 
were we under it, as fallen creatures, it could benefit us nothing, 
being weak through the flesh : Eom. viii. 3 ; but it would irritate 
our evil propensities which it cannot cure : Eom. vii. 5, 8 ; and 
would follow us with its curses wherever we went : Gal. iii. 10. 
It is no wonder that Christ should be called Wonderful ! seeing 
he performs nothing less than wonders : Isa. ix. 6. It was a 
wonderful method he took to redeem us. Having violated the 
law of God, we were brought under the curse of that law : Gal. 
iii. 10 ; which curse is nothing less than wrath revealed : Eom. i. 
18 ; and death : Eom. vi. 23. Bat " Christ hath redeemed us from 
the curse of the law;" so that we have nothing to fear on that 
score. According to God's ancient declaration, we had sold our- 
selves for naught ; and were redeemed without money : Isa. Iii. 3. 
Though Christ redeemed us without money, it was not without 
price ; he " being made a curse for us : " Deut. xxi. 23. " The 
Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all : " Isa. liii. 6. 
" Christ bore our sins in his own body on the tree : " 1 Pet. ii. 24 ; 
" He suffered, the just for the unjust : " 1 Pet. iii. 18 ; and gave 
his precious blood for our redemption : 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. " We 
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins : " 
Eph. i. 7. He hung upon the racking cross for us : sweat blood, 
shed blood, groaned and died for us ; to free us from that misery, 
which, as sinners, we had sunk into ; and which, while we remain 
unconverted sinners, we are still in : Eom. v. 19. Christ has 
conquered our fiercest foes ; and not only made a way through 
himself to escape the curse, but to obtain a blessing : Heb. x. 20. 
But it is only through faith in him, that we can obtain a sense of 
the favor of God ; for whoever comes to Christ's door must be a 
humble beggar, and plead nothing of his own personal worth; for 
Christ serves none but poor, helpless, and lost sinners : Matt. ix. 
12, 13. Christ apprehends the sinner by bis Spirit : 1 Cor. xii. 13; 
and the sinner apprehends Christ by his faith : Eph, iii. 17 ; and 
so they become one : PhiL iii. 12, 



158 of Christ's care oyer his church. 

"A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not 
quench." — Isa. xlii. 3. 

SUCH is the love of Christ to his people, that, wherever he 
discovers a willingness of spirit, he passes by the weakness 
of the flesh : Matt. xxvi. 41. Those who are weak, even as a reed, 
yea, a " bruised reed/ 5 he will not break them ; but pities them, 
and gives them no more work than they have strength to perform : 
1 Cor. x. 13. You may be so oppressed with doubts and fears, 
that you may be led to look upon yourself as the weakest of all 
God's plants, even as a reed. Well, be it so ; but, Observe, 

1st. " A reed" is an emblem of weakness, and a " bruised reed " 
is still weaker. And such is the feebleness of all poor, broken- 
hearted sinners, who feel themselves pressed and bowed down 
beneath a load of guilt. But Christ will not break one such 
bruised reed ; no ; he came to bind up that which was broken ; 
and to strengthen that which was bruised : Luke iv. 18. 

2d. He will not extinguish the " smoking flax." Though you 
may be like a lamp that has more smoke than light, and that 
burns but dimly for the want of oil, he will not put out the little 
light you have, on account of the offensiveness of the smoke you 
emit ; but will give you more oil. and cause your light to burn 
clearly : Ps. xviii. 28. Were you left to yourself, the reed would 
soon break, and the flax or lamp would soon go out ; but such is 
the tender regard that Jesus has for you, he will not only not 
break you, nor quench you himself, but will suffer no one else to 
do it : Isa. xl. 11. But. 

3d. There is much more implied, than what is expressed in this 
precious promise. For, instead of breaking the reed, he will so 
strengthen and support it, that it shall become like the tall and 
stately cedar : Ps. xcii. 12. Do not think, because you are like 
the smoking lamp, or a candle newly lighted, that your little light 
will be put out by the first puff of wind that comes, or the first 
drop of water that falls ; for he will fan it into a flame : Phil. i. 6. 
Wherever true grace is found, more grace is given : James iv. 6. 
If you are weak in grace, be not doubtful, but thankful ; improve 
the little you have, and seek for fresh supplies : John xv. 7. 



of Christ's care over his church. 159 

"Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it." — Eph. v. 25. 
"ISTTOTWITHSTANDING the many failings and imperfections 
JL.M of the church, no husband could ever love his bride so 
sincerely, purely, ardently, and constantly, as Christ does his 
church; which he is pleased to call his wife : Eev. xxi. 9. Observe, 

1st. Christ's love to his church. His love is a Primary love : 
1 John iv. 19 ; a Eedeeming love : Titus ii. 14 ; a Pardoning love : 
Isa. xl. 2 ; a Justifying love : Eom. iii. 24 ; an Adopting love : 
John i. 12, 13 ; a Sanctifying love : 1 Cor. vi. 11 ; a Glorifying 
love: Eom. viii. 17. Christ not only "has loved the church/' 
but he continues to love her ; and he could as soon cease to live 
as cease to love. His church is always uppermost on his mind ; 
and his love to her can never be told, neither by angels nor men ; 
for as the Father loves the Son, so the Son loves the church : 
John xv. 9. Men frequently love from the mouth, outwardly ; 
but Christ loves from the heart, inwardly. His love passeth 
knowledge ; so that, we can neither find minds to know, nor 
words to express his love : Eph. iii. 19. The world may love 
you on account of what money you may have in your pocket ; but 
will never love you for the grace you have in your heart : John 
xv. 19. Christ loves you the same in poverty as in riches ; the 
same in rags as in silks ; in a dungeon as in a palace. The world 
may cry "Hosanna ! " to-day, and " Crucify him ! " to-morrow. But 
that is not the way that Christ loves ; for having loved his own, 
he continues to love them : John xiii. 1. 

2d. The proof of his love : " He gave himself for it : " Titus ii. 
14. Greater love hath no man than this. What could he give 
more than himself ? He submitted to be made a curse for us, 
that he might redeem us from the curse of the law : Gal. iii. 13. 
And this he did, " that the blessing of Abraham might come on 
the Gentiles through him : " that all believers, whether Jews or 
Gentiles, might become heirs of Abraham's blessing. He was 
rich in power and glory; yet, for the sake of enriching poor 
sinners, he became poor : 2 Cor. viii. 9. He discharged our debts, 
burst our bonds, and united us to himself; and having done so 
much, will he not do the little that remains ? 



160 OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 

"Behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words 
unto you." — Prov. i. 23. 

TRUE grace is necessary to a true conversion ; and whoever 
seeks it honestly, and submits to it willingly, shall find it 
assuredly : Luke xi. 9, 10. Set yourself to do what you can, 
and God will do all you need; and will help you to do that, 
which, without his grace, you could not do : Phil. ii. 13. Think 
not that your hand is so withered you cannot stretch it forth ; 
all you have to do, is, to make the effort in obedience to the 
command of Christ ; and he who gives the word will give the 
power, in the attempt : Matt. xii. 13. The Author of this grace 
is the Holy Spirit, and here you have it promised, not sparingly, 
but plentifully. For the Lord will not only give a few drops, 
but "will pour out his spirit unto you" as freely as water runs 
from the fountain ; and shall be in you, ever living and ever flow- 
ing : John vii. 38. You may have heard much, and have under- 
stood but little of God's word ; but for your encouragement it is 
promised, that you shall not only hear his words, but know them. 
" I will," says He, " make known my words unto you : " so that 
it shall become your delight to keep them: Ps. i. 2. You have 
nothing to fear from any quarter, while you have the Spirit of 
God to guide you, and the word of God to rule you. The more 
you have of the Spirit of God, the more you will know of the 
words of God, and the less you will have of the spirit of the 
world : 1 John ii. 16, 17. 

All who are the sons of God, are led by the Spirit of God: 
Eom. viii. 14 ; and all who are Christ's followers, hear Christ's 
words, and know them, to be his : John x. 27 ; and obey and 
treasure them up in their hearts : John xv. 7. Doubt no longer 
of God's willingness to give ; for he here twice declares, "I ivilV' 

Hath he said it, and will he not do it ? He will give you 
freely and plentifully of his Spirit, to guide, direct, comfort, and 
sanctify you ; and will give you a heart to understand his words : 
Ps. cvii. 43. 

It is by the Spirit given unto us that we are enabled to cleave 
unto Jesus in heart and affection, as our only hope, and walk 
worthy the vocation wherewith we are called : Eph. iv. 1. You 
have only to ask and have. 



OF THE HOLY SPIBIT. 161 

" We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of 
God ; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God." — 1 
Cor. ii. 12. 

ME]ST unsanctified receive not the things of God ; their minds 
are prejudiced against them, so that they appear foolish- 
ness unto them : Ver. 14. No man can know or believe them to 
salvation, till the mind has been enlightened by the Spirit of 
God. The wisest men of this world are but fools in God's ac- 
count : 1 Cor. iii. 19. And as the mind of man dwells in himself, 
and cannot be known by another, until he makes it known, so the 
Spirit of God is in God, and we know nothing of the mind of 
God, till it is revealed. " We have not received the spirit of the 
world/' which could be of no assistance to us, "but the Spirit 
which is of God," that knows the things of God, it being one 
with God : Ezek. xxxvi. 27. 

We have received the Spirit of God, " that we might know the 
things that are freely given to us of God." We can neither know 
them, nor savingly believe them till they are made known unto 
us, by his Spirit revealing them unto us : John xiv. 16, 17. Gos- 
pel privileges are great privileges, that are "freely given to us of 
God." Notwithstanding they are freely given, and the revelation 
of this gift is made, they could not benefit us, without the Spirit 
showing, not only what God is, but also, what the things of God 
are, John xvi. 13, that he has done for, wrought in, and given to 
us. Whatever a man may possess beside, if he possess not the 
Spirit of Christ, he is none of his : Bom. viii. 9. The Spirit of 
God is a living Spirit ; an enlivening Spirit ; a leading Spirit ; a 
sealing Spirit ; and, therefore, all who have his Spirit, pray in the 
Spirit; and with the Spirit; and by the Spirit; and for more of 
the Spirit: Luke xi. 13. All who believe receive constant sup- 
plies; and have the Spirit of God dwelling in them: 2 Tim. i. 
1 1. Poor, drooping believer, thou feelest thy sins and corrup- 
tions, and art ready to conclude that thou hast neither part nor 
lot in the matter. What! believe the TRUTH, and not be sancti- 
fied by the Spirit! Impossible! As sure as thou art a believer 
in Jesus, his Spirit hath sanctified thee through faith. Sin I 
and fear not. Ask and have. Run and win. 



162 OF THE SPIRIT'S HELP IN PRAYER. 

"Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble : thou wilt prepare their 
heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear." — Ps. x. 17. 

^VTEVER did the Lord say to a humble, penitent soul, " Seek 
-1-N my face in vain : " Isa. xlv. 19. And what he was, that 
he now is, and ever will be ; hence, every one has encouragement 
to pray. Consider, 

1st. The Lord " has heard the desire of the humble : " and his 
ear is still open to their cry : Ps. xxxiv. 15. The Lord prepares 
the hearts of his people, by first giving them to see and feel their 
need ; and by giving them a holy desire after the very blessings 
that he designs to give them : Prov. xvi. 1. He gives and 
strengthens their faith : Eph. ii. 8 ; fixes their thoughts on the 
desired blessing; raises their affections, and graciously accepts 
of their prayers ; which serves to strengthen their confidence, 
and enables them to say, " Lord thou hast heard" not only the 
well-formed prayer, but, " the desire of the humble : " Ps. ix. 12. 

2d. The Lord will hear : Micah vii. 7. " Thou ivilt prepare 
their heart ; " so that no one -can excuse themselves from pray- 
ing, on account of the badness of their heart. If you are sen- 
sible of the plague of your heart, go to the Lord, who alone can 
prepare the heart. And this he does through his Spirit enabling 
them to mortify its various lusts, and bringing it into a humble, 
holy frame, and longing after God in Christ Jesus : 1 Sam. vii. 
3 ; Rom. viii. 13. And having prepared the heart for the mercy 
needed and prayed for, He will, 

3d. "Cause his ear to hear" the prayer offered unto him. It 
is impossible for God to be unmindful of his people's condition. 
He is always ready to hear and regard their cry ; and deliver 
them from all their enemies and afflictions : Ps. xxxiv. 17. 

Let your case be what it may, you have only to make it known 
to the Lord : Phil. iv. 6. Do not say, " I am so weak and igno- 
rant, so vile and ungrateful, that I cannot pray ; " for that is the 
very reason why you should pray. And if, at any time, your 
heart is too full to form words, look at a throne of grace, and the 
Lord will hear " the desire : " Ps. xxxvii. 4. If you lack wisdom 
ask it ; and rest assured, that you can need nothing that God is 
not willing to give : Phil. iv. 19. 



OF THE SPIRIT'S HELP IN PRAYER. 163 

" Ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." — 
Rom. viii. 15. 

THIS is the peculiar glory of gospel-grace ; sinners become the 
sons of God ; and have the joyful knowledge of it here upon 
earth : 1 John iii. 1, 2. Observe, 

1st. Every believer in Christ is a son, or child of God : John 
i. 12 ; and as such, each one has the witness in himself : Eom. viii. 
16 ; and has the broad seal of heaven put upon him : 2 Cor. i. 22. 
What have you to. fear from the world, if you are a heaven-born 
child ? 

2d. " Ye have received the Spirit" not of bondage ; no ; the 
Spirit of God never was, nor ever can be the spirit of bondage 
to any soul ; it is contrary to his nature ; he is a Spirit of liberty, 
that takes the things of Christ and shows them unto us : John 
xvi. 14. He convinces of sin, breaks the yoke of sin and the 
law, of death and Satan ; that the soul might become united to 
Christ by faith. We receive the " Spirit of adoption " by the 
faith of Jesus ; Ave see God's righteous law fulfilled by his per- 
fect obedience : Rom. v. 19. Through this righteousness, the 
Spirit brings peace to our troubled consciences, and frees us from 
all our guilty fears : Eom. v. 1. God has no still-born children ; 
and his children, like ours, soon give signs of life by their cries. 

3d. The Spirit gives us a cry ; and becomes a Spirit of grace 
and supplication to us : Eph. vi. 18. Do not plead your igno- 
rance any longer ; for "ye have received the Spirit of adoption ; " 
and that Spirit will teach you what to say, and how to say it. 

4th. " Whereby we cry, Abba, Father" What a precious cry ! 
none but a regenerate soul could ever utter such a cry: Eom. 
viii. 26. You may have many enemies standing between you 
and a throne of grace, who will do all they can to prevent your 
approach; but you have one Friend stronger than all, who will 
lead you through them all: Heb. ii. 10. Never listen to unbelief, 
or you may be reasoned out of your evidence of your adoption. 
When children cannot speak they can cry, and thus express their 
wants; and so may you "cry, Abba, Father I" that is. Father, 
Father; and if you can say no more, that will be rhetoric enough. 
Father will know what it means. 



164 OF THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS. 

" The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and 
delivereth them." — Ps. xxxiv. 7. 

JACOB loved his little Benjamin as dearly as any of his f nil- 
grown brethren. So the feeblest follower of Jesus, though 
ever so weak in faith and understanding, is equally dear to the 
Father as the strongest believer, and heir to the same inheri- 
tance. And the Lord has left nothing undone that could be done, 
to make those truly blessed who trust in him. And as every 
believer in Jesus is born of a royal line : John i. 13 ; so their 
heavenly "Father honors them as such : for as a life-guard would 
encamp around a prince to protect his royal person, so " the angel 
of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him." It 
is said, " the angel" though, perhaps, there are a full guard of 
angels, who are as unanimous in protecting the saints as though 
there were but one. Observe, 

1st. God makes use of good spirits to protect his children from 
the malice of evil spirits. Jacob was guarded by a host of them : 
Gen. xxxii. 1, 2 ; and so is every child of God as really, though 
not as sensibly : Luke xv. 10. We are not sensible of half the 
blessings conferred upon us. 

2d. They do not merely come to see them, but " encamp around 
them : " so that they are in constant attendance, always ready to 
serve them : Heb. i. 14. The enemy may throw his darts about 
them ; but can never harm them, while in the centre of so good 
a camp : Isa. xli. 11. Angels are their servants, and are " sent 
forth to minister for them;" to serve them in every possible way; 
to oppose all that opposes them ; to fight all their battles ; to 
guard them while in the field ; and escort them home when their 
warfare is accomplished : Luke xvi. 22. It matters not who, nor 
how many, are against them. For, 

3d. He " delivereth them ; " and as no part is left unguarded, 
and as their friends are so much mightier than their foes, they 
have nothing to dread from any quarter, while they u fear Him " 
whose angel guards them : 2 Kings vi. 16, 17. All who live holy 
may depend upon being kept safely. Jesus makes all his mem- 
bers safe and comfortable : — their Guard never sleeps on his 
post : Ps. cxxi. 3, 4. Let us who have such holy guards, be care- 
ful to live holy lives : Heb. xiii. 1. 




"The angel 6t the Lord encampeth round about them." — Page 164. 



OF THE MINISTRY OF ANGELS. 165 

"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who 
shall be heirs of salvation ?" — Heb. i. 14. 

ALTHOUGH the angels are beings far superior to us in 
nature and capacity, and have constant employment in 
the upper world, still it is evident, that, in obedience to their 
Maker's command, they visit our lower world on messages of 
mercy to us. Observe, 

1st. That though the angels are spirits, and not bodies, they 
are " ministering spirits" whose office it is to attend upon others. 
They attend upon God ? s throne, and are always ready to obey his 
commands : Ps. civ. 4. God's will is their law. 

2d. They are " sent forth " by him to whom they belong, not 
as idle spectators, but to wait upon the children of God; who 
are all "heirs of salvation:" Rom. viii. 17. Angels are their 
servants, "sent forth to minister for them;" to instruct, guard, 
direct, protect, comfort, provide for, and deliver them. Thou- 
sands attended the Lord at the giving of the law : Ps. lxviii. 17 ; 
Heb. ii. 2. Two of them appeared to Abraham in his tent : and 
the same two lodged with Lot ; warned him of his danger, pro- 
tected and delivered him: Gen. xviii. and xix. One supported 
Elijah in the wilderness of Judah : 1 Kings xix. 4-8. An angel 
in one night cut off 185,000 of Senacherib's army, and delivered 
Jerusalem from his cruel rage : Isa. xxxvii. 36. Angels fre- 
quently conversed with Daniel, Zechariah, and the Apostle John. 
An angel warned Joseph and Mary to flee, and return, with 
the infant Jesus. An angel liberated Peter from prison : Acts v. 
19. An angel delivered the apostles at Jerusalem; and some- 
times one is represented as acting on multitudes, while at 
others, multitudes are represented as protecting one. We know 
no more than God has revealed. But certain it is, that a saint 
in tatters is more highly honored than a sinner in robes. 

Strive in all things to please God, and then rest assured that 
God will, with all things needful, serve you: Ps. lxxxiv. 11. 
Keep in the ways of God, and you may always find comfort in 
the promises of God: Rom. xv. 4. Christ, lias done much to 
make all men his friends, although he lias many enemies: and 

you cannot expect it to go better with you than it did with him. 



166 THAT WE SHALL BE KINGS 

" And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation." — 
Exod. xix. 6. 

EEJOICE, poor, trembling believer, in God thy Saviour; and 
listen to the endearing and honorable titles which he has 
put upon his people. Every one who is born of God is heir to 
a crown ; and when they become of age they shall wear it : but 
we must be born in the kingdom of grace, before we can be 
crowned in the kingdom of glory : John iii. 3. And all who have 
the kingdom of God within them, shall assuredly dwell in the 
kingdom of God : John x. 28. Although it is possible, that they 
may be so poor and disguised as to have to beg their way through 
this world, it will be manifest in the other world, they were "unto 
God a kingdom of priests" The kingdom of the saints may truly 
be said to be a " kingdom of priests," inasmuch as every one is 
engaged in offering sacrifices to God ; and he is so well pleased 
with them on his Son's account, that every sacrifice they offer 
through him, is accepted of him : Heb. xiii. 5. 

The saints, while here, are like a few struggling outcasts ; but 
unto God they are " a kingdom ; " and when all shall be brought 
home, they will appear a very large kingdom: Eev. vii. 9, 10. 
In this rough, uneven world, the child of God may stumble, yea, 
fall, and wound his soul, bruise his spirit, and cause dejection of 
mind. Satan may sadly daub him, and then endeavor to per- 
suade him, that he is in such a filthy condition, that his Father 
doth not know him, and will never again own him. This is a 
deplorable condition, and should be carefully guarded against; 
but let it be remembered, that the Lord will never wholly cast 
off his people, nor forsake his inheritance : Ps. xciv. 14. But 
notwithstanding the faults, failings, and imperfections of the 
saints, in a comparative sense, they are a "holy nation;" for, 
though they have much of their natural corruption hanging 
about them, they are God's peculiar people : Titus ii. 14 ; " a 
chosen generation ; a royal priesthood : " 1 Pet. ii. 9 ; and, through 
Christ, they are all made " kings and priests unto God : " Eev. 
i. 6. We are not righteous in and of ourselves ; but Christ of 
God is made unto us righteousness : 1 Cor. i. 30. Wicked world- 
lings and formal professors despise those most whom God loves 
best. 



AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD. 167 

"And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father. " — Rev. 
i. 6. 

EVEEY sinner who loves Christ, believes the love of Christ 
to sinners. Christ pnrifies ns by his blood: 1 John i. 7; 
and dignifies us by his power. He hath, 

1st. " Made us kings " to rule over sin, the world, Satan, and 
death. All real believers are kings, made such by the King of 
kings ; but not earthly monarchs. They reign, in a spiritual 
sense, over all their unruly passions and appetites, lusts and cor- 
ruptions 5 and even the king of terrors is no longer a terror to 
them ; in consequence of their knowing that his sting is extracted 
and victory sure : 1 Cor. xv. 55-57. An earthly monarch may 
have many rebellious, treacherous subjects, who envy, and would 
dethrone him ; notwithstanding he may keep his throne ; so do 
you over all rebel lusts and traitorous dispositions ; for you reign 
by Christ's power, who is King over you : Eev. xix. 16. Christ 
hates all sin, but loves all sinners. 

2d. "Priests unto God" Under the law, the priests offered 
gifts and sacrifices according to the law ; under the gospel, we 
are a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable 
to God, by Jesus Christ : 1 Pet. ii. 5. The saints are priests who 
consecrate their bodies unto God : Eom. xii. 1 ; and are contin- 
ually offering up sacrifices of prayer, praise, supplication, and 
thanksgiving "unto God;" all of which God is well pleased to 
accept through his beloved Son : John xiv. 6. Christ has taught 
all men to honor the Son, even as they honor the Father : John 
v. 23 ; and here, the same honor, glory, dominion, and power is 
ascribed to Jesus Christ, as to God. Our bodies and souls, time 
and talents, prayers and praises, must be all offered up "unto 
God;" for as Christ, our high-priest, has offered tip himself unto 
God for us, so we must offer ourselves to God by him. 

Live up to your privilege as a king, and never become a slave; 
and, as a priest, let all your sacrifices be offered unto God, whose 
priest you are. Never sacrifice to heathen idols; but when lusts 
present, and Satan tempts, remember, Christ hath made you a 
king to reign over them, and a priest, to sacrifice them. Never 
offer a sacrifice to the world, the flesh, or the devil. 



168 OF PEACE OF CONSCIENCE. 

" The work of the righteous shall be peace ; and the effect of righteousness, 
quietness and assurance forever." — Isa. xxxii. 17. 

SALVATION" is all of free-grace, and free-gift by Jesus Christ. 
Our life of faith, of hope, of love, of holiness, centres in, 
and is from Jesus. Observe, 

1st. " The work of righteousness shall be peace;" even in the 
doing of our duty we shall always find an abundance of true 
pleasure ; a present reward of obedience in the very act of obedi- 
ence : Ps. xix. 11. As the law of Christ brings in a law to govern 
us, so the gospel of Christ brings a righteousness to save us ; and 
these two, by the Spirit, being made to dwell together, they 
remain as an everlasting righteousness. It is true, the work of 
righteousness may be sometimes hard and costly, and may expose 
us to much persecution and contempt, yet, it is peace ; yea, and 
such peace too, as makes us ample amends : Ps. cxix. 165. True 
holiness produces real happiness. 

2d. u TJie effect of righteousness shall be quietness and assur- 
ance." The effect of sin, is uneasiness and death. And as sin 
invariably produces wretchedness : Isa. lvii. 21, 22 ; so holiness 
or righteousness produces quietness within and without. The 
effect of righteousness must be happiness ; and the one being 
perfect, must make the other complete. The righteous are said 
to be bold as lions ; while the wicked are frightened at their own 
shadow : Prov. xxviii. 1. If you are careful to obey God, you 
are sure to be happy in God ; and of this, all who do the work 
of righteousness, have an " assurance forever." While you live 
right, nothing goes wrong: Koni. viii. 28. A soul at peace with 
God cannot be greatly disturbed by the world ; for it has all its 
pleasures in God, and all its blessings from God : Eom. viii. 1. 

While you have peace within, all must be well without. Peace 
here, brings an assurance of peace hereafter. Keep the Saviour 
in your eye, retain him in your heart; and as he is your first 
hope, so let him be your last stay. Never take your eye of faith 
off Christ's righteousness ; it was his holy life and bitter death, 
procured a righteousness for you, in which you may stand with 
assurance before a holy God. Keep up a constant war with sin, 
and that will secure peace of conscience. 



OF PEACE OF CONSCIENCE. 169 

" Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace. " — Luke vii. 50. 

CONSCIENCE is the secret testimony of the soul, whereby it 
approves that which is good, and condemns that w r hich is 
evil. A good conscience is purified by the blood of Christ : 1 
Tim. i. 5. An evil conscience is loaded with guilt : Heb. x. 22. 
A hardened or seared conscience is one that feels not the evils of 
sin : 1 Tim. iv. 2. Conscience has a rule of action ; it compares 
action with that rule ; and draws inferences from the comparison ; 
it gives its approbation to what it thinks good, and reproaches 
itself with what it considers evil. Whoever applies to Christ, in 
his appointed way, is sure to be saved by him: Heb. vii. 25. 
Every humble, believing applicant, no matter how vile, is sure to 
meet with a generous dismissal. Our love to God should always 
be in proportion to the love we receive from Him. If you love 
God, that is a proof He loves you : 1 John iv. 19 ; and though 
the enemy of your soul would lead you into clouds and dark- 
ness at the remembrance of your past sins, the Saviour declares, 
u thy faith hath saved thee." It should, therefore, give you no 
concern who condemns you, so long as Christ acquits you : 
John viii. 10, 11 ; for surely you cannot doubt his word, when he 
commands you to "go in peace." What more can you desire to 
make your soul happy ? Here is pardon, safety, faith, and peace ; 
and all for taking Christ at his word. Pardon is the ground of 
your safety : Isa. xl. 1, 2. Faith is the foundation of your peace : 
Rom. v. 1. Peace is the fruit of your faith ; and salvation the 
issue of your pardon. What if 'your sins were great, Christ's 
pardoning grace was greater; and, therefore, your joy and peace 
should be great : Luke vii. 47. All the uneasiness you have felt 
on account of sinning against God, and all the love you have felt, 
and still feel, to the Saviour, are the productions of faith ; and 
you cannot honor God more, in any way, than by believing on his 
Son : John iii. 16-18. And though thou hast little faith, he now 
says, "Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace." To have a 
peaceful conscience, three things are necessary; First, a good 
rule of conduct, ; secondly, an impartial comparison of our con- 
duct with that rule ; thirdly, a conviction Ave have conformed 
to it. 



170 OF COMFORT. 

" The Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his af- 
flicted. ' ' — Isa. xlix. 13. 

BLESSED be God for Jesus Christ ; the perfectly finished 
and everlastingly glorious work of Christ's redemption! 
However the faithful followers of God may be despised by the 
world, they are the greatest blessings to, and ornaments of the 
world : Matt. v. 13, 14. Observe, 

1st. " The Lord hath" in every age of the world, "comforted 
his people;" and though many have thought in the time of their 
distresses, that God had assuredly forgotten them, he always 
made it appear, that such was not the case : ver. 14, 15. Is sin 
your trouble ? Do you want deliverance ? Is your soul troubled 
for want of peace ? Are you distressed through manifold trials 
and temptations ? Is the sun of comfort set ? Do the moon and 
stars withhold their light ? Be not faithless, but believing ; 
away with your doubts and distrust ! indulge those enemies to all 
comfort no longer ; for "the Lord hath comforted his people," 
and will do it again : Ps. xxxvi. 8, 9. Give your fears to the 
winds, for God's regard is as tender for you now, as it ever was. 
Talk no more about your short-comings, and wanderings from 
him ; for he has not hitherto rewarded you according to your de- 
servings : Titus iii. 5 ; neither will he now. Eor, 

2d. "He will have mercy upon his afflicted" He may for a mo- 
ment have veiled himself with a cloud; but with everlasting- 
kindness will he have mercy on thee : Isa. liv. 8. Your being 
afflicted is a sufficient reason why you should trust in him ; for 
he will restore comfort : Isa. lvii. 18. Your suspicions are all 
groundless; "'He loill have mercy upon his afflicted," and you 
are one of those ; therefore, let all your sighs and groans burst 
forth into songs of praise : Isa. xii. 1. Nature may change ; but 
God, in whom you trust, can know no change : Heb. i. 10-12. 
Indulge your fears no longer ; reason not with corrupt nature ; 
nor with blind unbelief ; " the Lord has comforted you ; " and he 
is not grown weary of hearing your complaints ; but will comfort 
you now. " He will have mercy upon his afflicted ; " and turn 
your mourning into joy: Jer. xxxi. 11, 12. Why should you 
walk in darkness ? 



OF COMFORT. 171 

" Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort 
them which are in any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are com- 
forted of God. " — 2 Cor. i. 4. 

MEECY dwells in God, and we obtain mercy from God ; for 
though he is just, he delights in mercy: JMicah vii. 18; 
hence, he is called the " Father of mercies." Consider, 

1st. The benefits we receive from God; " Who comforteth us in 
all our tribulation." We have no real comfort but what comes 
from God; and all onr best comforts are in God: James i. 17. 
It mnst be acknowledged, that in the world we have tribulation ; 
bnt it is equally true, that in Jesus we have peace : John xvi. 33. 
And though our sufferings abound, our consolations also abound : 
2 Cor. i. 5. We are never left to struggle through our troubles 
alone; for we have a "God of all comfort" nigh at hand; "who 
comforteth us in all our tribulation." He does not comfort us in 
one alone, and then leave us comfortless in the others ; but com- 
forteth us in them all: John xiv. 18. We have only to live to. 
and trust in God, and then we may depend upon having comfort 
from God: Ps. xxxiii. 21. None can feel the distresses of others, 
so much as those that have experienced distress themselves. 

2d. God's intent in comforting us : " that tee may be able to 
comfort them which are in any trouble ; " by telling them of the 
mercy and goodness of God, as experienced by us, in our tribu- 
lations, pressures, and afflictions : Ps. lxvi. 16. So that it is 
evident, whenever we receive good, God designs that we should 
do good with the good received; and encourage others to hope in 
him, "by the comfort wherewith ice ourselves are comforted." Xone 
are so lit to comfort a suffering saint, as those who have been 
comforted themselves "of God:" Heb. vi. 18, 19. 

Learn, 1st. Never to live upon, nor measure God's love to yon, 
by your poor, changeable frames and feelings. But 2d. Look to. 
live upon, and glory in Christ; for Cod so views and loves you. 
3d. Strive to become more like Godj possess the mind of Christ; 
live by faith upon him ; and take comfort in him. Always bless 
God for a comfortable frame and lively feelings. 



172 OF HOPE. 

" The Lord will he the hope of his people. ' ' — Joel iii. 16. 

OTHOU of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt ? Matt, 
xiv. 31. "Why not exercise the little faith you have ? 
Your doubts arise from your unbelief. You can easily believe 
that the Lord is displeased at your sins ; and what is sin, but 
disobeying his commands ? Have you never considered it a great 
sin not to believe when he commands ? But your excuse is, " I 
am so weak in myself." Who is not ? Even the great, the in- 
spired, apostle acknowledges himself to be weak: 2 Cor. xi. 29. 
The church of God is made up of believers, and they are caHed 
the family of God : Eph. iii. 15 ; and as such, of course, are " his 
people;" they being in covenant and communion with him: 
2 Tim. i. 9. It is nothing new for the Lord to be the " hope of 
his people;" for he always was both the Founder and the Founda- 
tion of their hope. You may have a rough voyage through life, 
but you have nothing to fear while you keep Unbelief below, 
Faith on deck, and Christ at the helm of your little bark : Isa. 
xli. 10. The Lord will be your Harbor ; and you will never have 
a night so dark but you may with safety run into him : and 
there you can securely lie till the storm is past : Prov. xviii. 10. 
Complain no longer of your weakness, seeing the Lord is your 
strength : Ps. cxliv. 1, 2. Do not so much as name your un wor- 
thiness ; for the Lord is your righteousness : Jer. xxiii. 6. And 
as for your enemies and dangers, they can never harm you ; 
for God is your refuge : Ps. xlvi. 1. It is worse than useless to 
complain and reason with unbelief ; for it matters not what you 
may be called to pass through nor have to contend with ; " the 
Lord will be the hope of his people." Let not the greatness of 
the storm intimidate you ; but rest assured, that a soul fraught 
with grace and bound for heaven, can never become a wreck : 
John x. 28. You may, and will, have your fears of sinking, as is 
very natural for one on their first voyage ; but then, they are all 
groundless ; for you will ultimately be brought safe into Port, 
and put on shore on the Banks of Deliverance. Take courage, 
hope in the Lord, and he will keep you. While you look at the 
roughness of the sea, remember who is at the helm. You are 
homeward-bound, and will soon be ashore. 



OF HOPE. 173 

" Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast." 

— Heb. vi. 19. 

CHRISTIAN-HOPE is a confident persuasion of obtaining 
those good things which God has promised, both for time 
and eternity ; founded on his unchangeable truth, the merits and 
grace of Christ, and the earnest of the Holy Spirit. This hope is 
easily distinguished from all worldly hopes, 1st. By the excel- 
lency of its object : Col. i. 27. 2d. By the stability of its foun- 
dation : 2 Tim. i. 12. And, 3d. By its cleansing nature : 1 John 
iii. 3. 

Every one who is born of God is bound for Heaven; and, like 
a ship on the sea, must expect to meet with storms and tossings, 
both up and down; and be in constant danger. Our souls are 
vessels built by God, and are designed to go but one voyage 
across the sea of life; and it should, therefore, be our chief con- 
cern to make that a profitable one : Prov. xiv. 32. The graces, 
comforts, happiness, and expectations of our souls, are the invalu- 
able cargo with which those vessels are laden ; Heaven is the 
port we are sailing to ; afflictions, temptations, persecutions, fears 
and distresses, may fitly be compared to the stormy winds and 
waves, because of their violence, and so often threatening to make 
us a wreck : Ps. lxix. 1, 2. But it should ever be remembered, 
that we are not sent to sea without " an anchor; " for the hope of 
the gospel is the believer's anchor : and " which hope ice have as 
an anchor of the soul" What a blessed hope is ours ! it serves as 
an anchor at sea, and a helmet in battle : 1 Thess. v. 8. It is an 
anchor that might safely be relied upon, as being sufficiently 
strong to hold our vessel in the heaviest of gales and storms : for 
it is "sure and steadfast" It is not like the hypocrite's anchor, 
made of sand; but is strong and substantially made of good-hope- 
tlirough-grace. Our anchorage is also good; for our anchor has 
i iken fast hold in the Rock, Christ, and therefore must be stead- 
East. Let the winds roar, and the howling tempest drive through 
your masts and rigging, yon will outride the storm. Fear not ! 
hope is your Anchor — Christ is your Anchor-hold — Jesus is 
your Pilot — your vessel and cargo are fully insured — and your 

Sailing-Master lias engaged to conduct you safely into port. 



174 OF DELIGHT AXD JOY IN GOD. 

" Then shaft thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shaft lift up thy 
face unto God." — Job xxii. 26. 

RELIGION, in every situation, will make men comfortable ; 
but the want of it is sure to make them miserable. The 
worldling delights in its vanities, and the miser in his wealth ; 
but the Christian delights in his God: Ps. xl. 8. The only way 
to become truly rich, is to become truly poor : Matt. v. 3. And 
if you would obtain your heart's desire, make God your heart's 
delight : Ps. xxxvii. 1. Endeavor to cultivate a more intimate 
acquaintance with God ; for it is, not only your duty, but your 
interest, to join yourself to him in a covenant of friendship : Job 
xxii. 21. Keep up a constant correspondence with him in the 
way he has aiDpointed : -then shalt thou have thy delight in the 
Almighty." You shall, not only have your '-'delight in " him, but 
also, your delight from him ; if you do but trust in him : Ps. 
xxxiii. 21. Only live right in the sight of God, and you will not 
have cause to hang down your head with shame, like a criminal ; 
but thou " shalt lift up thy face toward God." and fear no evil. 
Why are you cast down ? Do men frown, and turn their backs 
upon you ? Let not that trouble you; be not afraid, "lift up thy 
face toward God ; " no longer hold down your head as though you 
were ashamed to look up ; but look cheerfully, and approach him 
boldly, in and through his Son : and turn your face toward him, 
as though you had confidence in him : Ps. lxviii. 3 ; Heb. x. 19. 
The oftener you look the Almighty in the face, the better you 
will become acquainted with him ; the more confidence, delight 
and joy, you will have in him : and the more welcome you will 
be to lift up your face unto him, and pour out your heart before 
him : John xvi. 22. 

Let faith lead you to God, through Christ; leave all your 
works behind you ; rely on his gracious promises, plead his rich 
mercy in Christ to poor sinners, and thus beseech him to be pro- 
pitious unto you. Plead the full atonement and righteousness of 
Jesus ; " lift up your face " to the Almighty ; live near to God in 
love ; walk before him in holiness ; and feast upon his goodness. 
You will have sufficient in the world to make you sorrowful ; and 
plenty in God to make you joyful. 



OF DELIGHT AND JOY IN GOD. 175 

"/ will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man 
taketh from you." — John xvi. 22. 

^VTOTHIXG can make a believer in Jesus so joyful as a sense 
-LN of his presence ; and nothing can make him so sorrowful 
as his absence ; if he hide his face but a little while, it causes 
great sorrow ; although their tears are not lost, nor their sighs 
forgotten: Ps. xxx. 5, 11. The Saviour urged his way through 
his own sufferings, and bore our griefs, for the joy that was set 
before him ; and would have all his followers encourage them- 
selves with the same prospect. Observe, 

1st. The cause of a believers joy; U I will see you again." 
What soothing, comforting, heart-healing words ! •• Let not 
your heart be troubled/ 5 poor, trembling, disconsolate believer ; 
you may appear very mean in the world's eye, but you are very 
precious in Christ's eye. He bore your sorrows, that you might 
have his joy. And though he may have withdrawn himself, it 
is only for a small moment ; think not that he is gone forever ; 
but comfort your heart with his gracious promise : Isa. liv. 7. 
He knows you cannot live without him ; and that his presence 
alone can disperse your gloom, and turn your sorrow into joy. 
Hence, he addresses you as a kind parent would a weeping, cling- 
ing child, " / ivill see you again." 

2d. The cordialness of it ; " Your heart shall rejoice." He 
will shortly see you again ; and make you such a kind and 
friendly visit, and minister so much comfort to you, that u your 
heart shall rejoice " within you : Ps. xxxiii. 21. Joy in the heart 
is real, substantial joy; it is sweet; it is sure; it is not easily 
broken in upon ; and is such as a stranger intermeddles not with. 
Christ will soon return ; and then you will rejoice heartily, sin- 
cerely, and greatly : John xv. 11. To be acquainted with Christ, 
you must be acquainted with grief ; but what of all that ? your 
sorrow is of short duration ; but your joy will know no end : 
Isa. li. 11. 

3d. The continuance of it; " Your joy no man taketh from 

No man can separate you from the love of Christ; and. 

therefore, no man can take away your joy. It is true, men may 

be permitted to bind and banish, yea. even torture and kill you ; 

but that could not take away your joy ; but would let you in! 



176 OF SUPPORT EH DEATH. 

•• The righteous hath hope in his death." — Pror. xiv. 32. 

SOLOMON here speaks of tliose who are righteous in a gospel 
:id many such are to be found. Let us, 

First. Attend to the character of those who have hope 
in their death: — "the righteous." 1st. In an unrenewed state, 
••there is none righteous, no. not one : " Born. iii. 10. Xone are 
legally righteous : none such can be found upon earth. 2d. All 
men are conceived and born in sin, and so are sinners by nature : 
Ps. li. 5. And as to practice. " there is not a just," or righteous, 
•• man upon earth." in a legal sense : Eccl. vii. 20. 3d. Yet every 
true believer in Jesus is righteous, according to the covenant of 
grace. God hath made Christ, who knew no sin. a sin-offering 
for us. that we might be made the righteousness of God in him : 
:\ v. 21. Every believer in Christ is in hiin. and has his 
righteousness imputed to him : 1 Cor. i. 30 ; Bom. iv. 5-10. 
1th. Believers in Christ have a righteousness imparted. They 
are renewed by the Holy Ghost : Titus iii. o ; and made partakers 
of the divine nature : 2 Pet. i. 1. They are no longer under the 
dominion of sin: Bom. vi. 14; being created anew in Christ 
Jesus unto good works : Eph. ii. 10. These are the righteous 
who have hope in their death. 

secondly. Show what things they hope for in their dying 
moments. 1st. They hope for the gracious presence of God. to 
support and protect them, while passing through the valley : Ps. 
xxiii. 1. Their hope of this important blessing is founded on 
such promises as these : u Lo. I am with you always, even unto 
the end of the world:" Matt, xxviii. 20. -This God is our God 
forever and ever ; he will be our guide even unto death : " Ps. 
xlviii. 11. -I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee : " Heb. 
xiii. 5. - Aly flesh and my heart faileth ; but God is the strength 
of my heart, and my portion forever : " Ps. lxxiii. 26. 2d. They 
hope to be in happiness immediately after death : Ps. lxxiii. 21 ; 
to dwell in the presence of God : Ps. xvi. 11 : and of Christ : 
John xiv. 3. And thus being absent from the body, they hope 
to be present with the Lord: 2 Cor. v. 8; and with the -spirits 
of just men made perfect : " Heb. xii. 23. 3d. They hope for 
the resurrection of their bodies. &c. 



OF SUPPORT IN DEATH. 177 

"/ know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep 
that which I have committed unto him till that day." — 2 Tim. i. 12. 

~^V^~ATUB ALLY, the fear of death, is unavoidable; and, in itself, 
-L^l is not sinful. By infidelity, and vain reasonings, some have 
been able to preserve a kind of composure and firmness of mind, 
even to the last moment ; notwithstanding, it was but their igno- 
rance that kept them easy ; like opiates, which could not support 
them : Ps. lxxiii. 4, 5. They have no hope in their death. Be- 
lieving does not exempt a man from dying : but though it cannot 
free him from the arms of death, it frees him from the sting of 
death; and supports him through death. And the believer is 
enabled to say, with a holy assurance. ~ I know whom I have be- 
lieved." I am not deceived in this important matter ; no ; I doubt 
it no more than my existence : " / know " that I am standing on a 
firm foundation ; I have intrusted my soul's salvation to the care 
of him who purchased it for me; "and am persuaded," folly so, 
-that he is able," yea, and willing too. to "keep that." and all 
things else, " which I have committed unto him:" John x. L >v 

There can be no doubt about those being well kept whom Christ 
has the keeping of : and therefore, having committed the keeping 
of your soul to him. you may make yourself perfectly easy about 
it: Isa. xlv. 17. He will take good care of it, and preserve it, 
"against that day: *' Kom. viii. 38. 39. In "that day." the day of 
your death, you will be comforted, and supported, by that God 
whom you served in your life ; and as you have always found his 
grace sufficient while living, you may depend upon finding it 
sufficient when dying : 2 Cor. xii. 9. And, be assured of it. it is 
as easy for a Christian to die as to live : for. living or dying, he 
always finds "grace sufficient;" but none to spare. He will keep 
it unto that day when soul and body shall be again reunited ; 
and having been kept by the power of God. 1 Pet. i. 4. 5. it will 
be admitted into the presence and enjoyment of God. Now, you 
may have many natural ties which bind you to the earth, and 
make the thought of parting unpleasant : but in death, yon will 
have dying-graee ; and your views and feelings may be altogether 
different. Live right, and you must die well. 



CHAPTER IV. 

PROMISES OF BLESSINGS IX THE OTHER WORLD. 

OF DELIVERANCE FROM DEATH AXD THE GRAVE. 

" / will redeem them from death : death, I will be thy plagues ; grave, 
I will be thy destruction." — Hos. xiii. 14. 

GOD made man. but sin mi made him ; and brought forth 
death ; and all who work for sin have death for their 
wages : Rorn. vi. 23. Sin is the parent of death : and every 
father may be considered an Adam to his offspring : conveying 
corruption and death in his generation. The man who dreads 
sin will never have cause to fear death : for the mighty con- 
queror shall be destroyed: ••' death, I will be thy plagues." 
Jesus Christ has already plagued death : when he trampled upon 
him in his own territories : and he will assuredly plague him 
again: for it is said. "I will be thy plagues." Death will finally 
meet with a death-blow. -The last enemy that shall be destrc 
is death : " 1 Cor. xv. 26. You may. and will, fall by the hand 
of death, and be put in the prison-house of death : but you will 
assuredly be delivered : for the Lord hath declared. •'•' 7 icttl re- 
deem them." The price of your ransom has already been paid: 
Matt xx. 2S ; and your Eedeemer has the keys of death hanging 
to his girdle : Rev. i. IS. Christ having freed you from sin. you 
shall, on account of his righteousness, be freed from death, which 
is the wages of sin. The blessed Saviour came into the world 
•• to finish the transgression and make an end of sins : M Dan. ix. 
24. And sin being ended, which is the cause of death, there will, 
of course, be an end of death. The sentence of destruction is 
already passed upon death and the grave : and will be faithfully 
executed : for. •• there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor 
crying : neither shall there be any more pain: " Rev. xxi. 4. 



OF DELIVERANCE FROM DEATH AND THE GRAVE. 179 

"0 death, where is thy sting ? grave, where is thy victory?" — 1 Cor. 
xv. 55. 

RECEIVE the word of thy redeeming Lord; rejoice in the 
comfort of it ; Christ hath fulfilled it. He has brought in 
an everlasting righteousness, which he hath wrought out for thee, 
to clothe thy naked soul, and enable thee to stand before the 
throne of God, perfect and entire, lacking nothing : Dan. ix. 24. 
Man is no sooner born, than he is going to be buried. Death may 
shorten a believer's time, but cannot shorten his life. Our time 
shortens as it lengthens ; and every day added is one taken away. 
Life itself is not worth calling living ; neither is death, to a be- 
liever, worthy the name of dying : 2 Cor. iv. 16. The Captain oi 
our salvation has not only conquered death, but enumerated it in 
the catalogue of our blessings : 1 Cor. iii. 22. " Death is yours/ 7 to 
deliver you from all the evils of sin, sorrow, temptation and pain; 
and yours to open the gate that admits you into life. What a 
glorious triumph will the redeemed have, when, before their 
ravished eyes, they shall see death and the grave completely 
destroyed ! Then will they exultingly exclaim, " death, where 
is thy sting?" Why, death, what has become of thy deadly 
weapon ? where now is thy power to hurt us ? Why, thou hast 
lost thy weapon ! where is it ? what has become of thy sting ? 
we now defy thy power, and fear not thy weapon : Isa. xxv. 8. 
Ah ! thou hast lost thy sting in the flesh of Christ ; by his death 
he hath deprived thee of it, delivered us, and will destroy thee ! 
And then, turning round to the grave, with a holy triumph, they 
will exclaim, " grave, ivhere is thy victory?" We were once thy 
prisoners ; but what has become of thy prison doors ? Where 
are all thy bolts, bars, and shackles, with which thou didst so 
long hold us ? grave ! what has become of thy victory ? where 
is it? 

Death and the grave have ^nothing in them, nor belonging to 
them, that can hurt the saints of God. The brightest days die 
into nights, but rise again into mornings. A Christian should 
always be content to live, and willing to die. Life and Heath are 
near neighbors; and we should be neighborly toward both. Love 
life and fear not death. 



180 OF HAPPINESS IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH. 

" There the wicked cease from troubling ; and there the weary be at rest." 
— Job iii. 17. 

DISEASE, at the hour of death, may deprive a true Christian * 
of his reason, but can never rob him of his religion; for 
whoever possesses the religion of Jesus, has that which will carry 
him well through life, and conduct him safely through death to 
life, beyond death: Isa. lvii. 2. The believer in Christ looks 
upon the grave, as he does upon his bed, the place where " The 
iveary rest." Here the saints are on pilgrimage ; but there their 
journey ends : Ps. lxxiii. 24. Here the wicked persecute, hate, 
envy, and vex them ; but " there the wicked cease from troubling : " 
Job iii. 18. Here they are to toil and labor, and are frequently 
so tired and fatigued, that they scarcely know what to do with 
their poor bodies, nor how to lay them in order to have a little 
rest; but, u there the weary be at rest." Aching hearts, wearied 
limbs, and empty stomachs, will never be known there. The grave 
has power over the body, to silence, imprison, and consume it ; Gen. 
iii. 19 ; but it has no such power over the soul ; for though death 
breaks the lantern, he cannot put out the candle : Prov. xx. 27. 

When death dissolves the union, that existed in life, between 
the soul and body, the body very naturally returns to the earth 
from whence it was taken ; and the soul, or living immortal part 
which came from God, as naturally returns to God whence it 
came : Gen. ii. 7. " Then shall the dust return to the earth as it 
was ; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it : " Eccl. xii. 
7 ; and who has a place prepared for its reception. And there it 
will remain till the slumbering bodies are aroused from their 
dusty beds; then shall body and soul be reunited, and be ever 
with the Lord: 1 Thess. iv. 16, 17. The dead, who die "in the 
Lord/' carry their happiness with them into another state ; and, 
being freed from all sin and corruption, that happiness becomes 
greatly increased ; nor can there be anything to mar their bliss, 
for "they rest from their labors:" Eev. xiv. 13. All who have 
been subjects of Christ's kingdom on earth, will occupy those 
mansions prepared for them, after death : John xiv. 2, 3. It may 
be wrong to wish for death; but it must be right to wish for 
glory : Phil. i. 23. 



OF HAPPINESS IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH. 181 

' ' To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. ' ' — Luke xxiii. 43. 

MATTHEW informs us, that both the thieves, who were cru- 
cified with the blessed Jesus, reviled him : Matt, xxvii. 
44. But the grace of God found its way to the heart of one of 
those revilers ; and becoming convinced of his own deplorable 
condition, both by nature and practice, and being fully satisfied 
that Jesus was the true and promised Messiah, he offered unto 
him this short prayer, " Lord, remember me ! " and immedi- 
ately received this answer, " To-day shalt thou be with me in par- 
adise" Wherever Christ went from the cross, it is certain, the 
penitent thief went with him. Paradise signifies garden, and is 
used to denote happiness ; so that, it is evident, the blessed Jesus 
and the believing thief went direct from the cross to a state of 
happiness. And the Scriptures give us plainly to understand, that, 
that state was an intermediate state : that is to say, the "para- 
dise " Christ spoke of, when he said, " To-day shalt thou be with 
me in paradise" was not the state or place where he now is ; nor 
the final abode of the redeemed. Christ is now seated on "the 
throne of his Father : " Eev. iii. 21 ; and, it is certain, he did not 
go there on the day in which he said to the thief, " To-day shalt 
thou be with me in paradise ; " for three days afterwards, he de- 
clares himself, " I am not yet ascended to my Father : " John xx. 
17. If, then, Christ went to paradise, and that paradise, as is 
evident, is not where he now is, it must be where the departed 
spirits all go on leaving the body ; and where they will remain 
till the resurrection of the dead bodies. Peter assures us, that, 
after Christ was put to death in the flesh, he went and preached 
to the " spirits in prison ; " and tells us plainly what spirits they 
were. See 1 Pet. iii. 18, 19, 20 ; and iv. 6. And admitting that 
the two thieves were in one place, (if that term might be used.) it 
is no proof that both were in happiness. It was one being " with " 
Christ that made it paradise to him; i.e. united to him by faith 
as the branch is to the vine, partaking of the same nature. Even 
in this state, two men may be in one house, one an unbeliever and 
the other a true believer; the former is like the troubled sea: 
Isa. lvii. 20, 21; and the latter has great peace: Ps, oxix. 165, 
We need no greater paradise than Christ affords. 



IS- OF HAPPINESS IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH. 



■ God w./I rxxteem m? s**/ fr*m the pewer efthegrawe; for he shall ncetre 
me." — Ps. xfii 

THEY who follow the Lord in life, hswe no room to doubt of 
presence in death; nor of being with him imniedz 

- " r '.--..,.-■ child of 

-:.!..: :1 All — 1; :zltz. i-Tiii 

fir S - : Izz r "- 1 tItZz zz . 

sin: li Z'l : and may with confidence sz 1 will redeem 

ziy = .1 :: . :_ :1- r-:~ f: ;: zif r : "t Izt zjz.t Izi zz~ ri 
the be* zztue of thai sentence already passr 

I it it has no such j z Tie soul; the soul n 

... .t :_--!- :--. '.- :1 :1: z it 
zzlz __ :li5 Iit I.f~ ~ -11 Ilr : ' is rr :ti:1 - z: :;: 
:lr ~r'z ._".:_: zzzt ::1 az.It: ■*-. :- - :;'-' :\.-:" :;: 
lilr i: 1 ' - — _r_ _ " It; _z 1 f *— ; '_- 

" ~zz zt :: lie ItA Its tIt It-Ttstzzz.! ::ii:lr.::; ItZtI 
has no sting, and the grave has no wi : I he language of a 

-._--..---.:_- . . 1-r. Hit: tIt 

Izzzl I :: : z_~ szzttt : " t1: z _ _t Lord God 

1 :.::: ' 1 1 : zied souls that he might 
receive tkem into the mansions prepared, for them: John zi 2 
And though we know bat little of the intermediate state, or 
-_-:t :lr '.-_ :::t1 ezztits ii- z-Zt! rill :lr Z:z:t.zz ;: 
the body, we are assured of there being such a state : (see p. 
LSI i :1- _- _ _ zzfz : -. :t t! - ~ .- zz '. 

upon Hie stale in which death finds as H — t It with Christ 
zjdl die t *• him, and be tcith him after death: and it matte 
— ItTt we zzz. whether it be on the r_ 
a palace or a prison, in life or in death, in time or in eternity 
must be good to be wherz zz b John xriL 4. It is a Heaven of 

z 1 : Hzl i 111 without him. - 

1 : _ _ There 

: -- lzz_ Lzt ItJtI zzzl ~; : zlr : z: z: ~; z____ zz:l- 
zz^. -_" ~ tzz, : 1- -_:~ 7-1-.: 1 LtzIz": 

Lord : 2 Coc t. 8. T : be ~ith the Lord is heaven. 



OF HAPFENESS IMMEDIATELY AFTER DEATH. 183 

" We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and 
to be present with the Lord.''' — 2 Cor. t. 8. 

WHERE the treasure is there the heart will he : Matt. vi. 
21. A man who is constantly travelling need often 
wash his feet: and so does the Christian need often go to the 
fountain, that Christ may wash his heart : John xiii. 10. All 
who would have immediate happiness after death, must be pre- 
pared for it on earth. Death can never convert a soul to God : 
no : the most that death can do. is to fetch the converted home 
to God ; and that he cannot do till sent by him. As the I 
prepares the heart. Prov. xvi. 1. so he gives the earnest of the 
Spirit as part-payment, and which assures its j rs of the 

balance, after their work is done : 2 Cor. i. 22. The blessed com- 
forts of the Spirit here, are sure earnests of glory hereafter ; and 
enable those who possess them to say. •• We are confident; " what- 
ever doubts we may have upon other marr^, we have none with 
regard to our future happiness : -we know whom we have be- 
lieved ; " and whenever death comes, he will find us both ready 
and willing to accompany him : Heb. xii. 23. The Christian finds 
but little here to court hi- sts y ; his treasure is laid up in 
heaven ; his happiness is to be with Jesus, even while in the 
body, where his interviews with him are short and intemr 1 
5 3 therefore, -willing rather to be n the body, and 

nth the Lord."* He desires to be with Christ altogether: 
but this cannot be while in the body ; he had therefore rather be 
without the body than without Jesus : Phil. i. 23. In the body. 
we live to suffer : absent from the body, we live to reign : Rom. 
viii. 17. •• Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord." T 
and these only are blessed immediately on the soul leaving 
righl to justify them : 1 Cor. i 

Bis Spirit is theirs I - .notify them: 1 Cor. vi. 11. They have 
a title to glory and a m fork: Rom. viii. 1.3-17. They 

iy for it susceptibility of its j 

ii. 12. In learning to live, study how I 
may • th for a crown of lit.- : 2 Mm. i - 

Abraham, Is . :. happy immediately j .ah: 

Matt. x>. and Eliaa: Mark ix. 4: 

will every beliei 



184 OF A GLORIOUS RESURRECTION. 

" Though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see 
God."— Jobxix. 26. 

C HEIST would not have his coat divided, neither will he have 
a heart divided. A real believer, while in time, looks be- 
yond time ; he has his eye fixed on heaven while he walks on the 
earth : Matt. vi. 21. Such is the holy indifference with which a 
believer looks upon the corrupting of his body, that after the 
skin is worn through, and scarcely able to hold the bones, he 
says, " Though after my skin" which is already partly consumed, 
" worms destroy this body" that is now little more than a skeleton, 
" yet in my flesh shall I see God:" Ps. xvi. 9. Every Christian 
has hope in Christ ; and such an one too as is not bounded by the 
narrow limits of time ; for were that the case, their lot would be 
a hard one ; seeing, that, in this world, they are hated, buffeted, 
and persecuted ; and exposed to all manner of sufferings, because 
they are not of the world : John xv. 19, 20. But believing in a 
resurrection, their hopes carry them beyond the grave ; and 
their assurance of a glorious one comforts them under every 
calamity : Isa. xxvi. 19. The body must return to the dust from 
whence it was taken : Gen. iii. 19 ; but that self-same body shall 
be raised incorruptible, honorable, and spiritual ; leaving nothing 
in the grave but the corruption : 1 Cor. xv. 42-44. Soul and 
body must come together again, in order to make a perfect max. 
"In my flesh" says the Christian, "shall I see God." Let this 
animate you when looking toward your own grave. Think of it 
with resignation and pleasure. It is true, sin takes away your 
health and strength, and lays your body in the grave : but hear 
what Jesus says among the tombs, " I am the resurrection and 
the life : " John xi. 25. At the sound of this take courage and 
go forward. Look not only to the grave, but through it. You 
have not to leap from a precipice ; but to descend an easy flight 
of steps ; hang upon your Beloved and Friend ; lie down quietly 
at his bidding, resting assured that he will guard your sleeping 
dust, and shortly bid you rise. Here you often mourn on ac- 
count of not being able to get a sight of Jesus ; there you will be 
like him ; for you will see him as he is : 1 John iii. 2. What 
a happy day when these two cousins meet (soul and body) in the 
Hill-country. 




1 Neither can they die any more." — Page 185. 



OF A GLORIOUS RESURRECTION. 185 

"Neither can they die any more ; for they are equal unto the angels ; and 
are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection." — Luke xx. 36. 

JESUS is the life of a believer's hope here, and the hope of 
life hereafter : John xi. 25. In this world men die ; and 
for that reason men marry, that the vacancies may be filled up ; 
but in heaven they marry not, because they die not : Rev. xxi. 4. 
Death reigns here, but cannot enter there to disturb them any 
more. "Neither can they die any more;" for the body being- 
raised incorruptible, there can be nothing belonging to, nor con- 
nected with it, that could possibly tend to death. This body " is 
sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption ; it is sown in dis- 
honor, it is raised in glory ; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in 
power ; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body," — 
not a spirit, but spiritual. For "there is a natural body, and 
there is a spiritual body:" 1 Cor. xv. 42-44. " They are equal 
unto the angels; " their glory is equal, and their bliss cannot be 
inferior ; their employment is the same ; and their enjoyment is 
as great : Ps. xvi. 11. Daily experience convinces the saints, that, 
in this world, they, at best, are but strangers and pilgrims ; that 
here they have no abiding place, and have but to lodge awhile in 
tents put up to be taken down. Hence, they are constantly look- 
ing forward, and hasting to, that day which shall restore their 
flesh ; when death shall all be done away, and in Heaven they 
will be all naturalized citizens ; " equal unto the angels," and 
enjoy that freedom which Christ obtained for them "with a great 
sum." They "are the children of God;" while in this world they 
receive the adoption of sons : Rom. viii. 15-17 ; and wait for its 
completion in the other world: Rom. viii. 23. Here they have 
the nature and disposition of sons, but will have to go home 
before it can be perfected. They are "the children of the resurrec- 
tion;" being born from above, they are made capable of the em- 
ployments and enjoyments of the family of heaven. None can 
enjoy the privileges of the household of God, without being born 
of God : John L 12, 13. We must be raised from a death of sin, 
before we can be raised to a life of glory, Every child of grace 
is heir to a crown of glory. 



186 OF HAPPINESS IN HEAVEN. 

" The upright shall dwell in thy presence." — Ps. cxl. 13. 
"TTTHAT can we say of heaven, seeing we know so little, and 
^ * cannot tell even that little ? But we will venture to 
affirm, that if heaven was now laid open to our view, we should 
no longer be fit to dwell upon the earth ; our minds would be so 
engaged with the rapturous scene, that everything else would 
sink into insignificance, and every other engagement be neglected ; 
the present order of things would be deranged ; and the beings to 
whom it was presented injured and destroyed. If the spirit of 
the Queen of Sheba left her at the sight of Solomon's glory : 2 
Chron. ix. 4 ; and Jacob fainted when he heard that his son Joseph 
was alive, and the sight of the wagons had so great an effect upon 
him, how could it be possible to behold heaven and live upon 
earth ? Gen. xlv. 25-28. However, with all our deficiencies, we 
are not totally ignorant of the happiness of heaven. This much 
we do know : " The upright shall dwell in God's presence." We 
know there are gradations among angels ; for we read of thrones 
and dominions, and principalities and powers : Col. i. 16. We 
know also, that there are different degrees of grace among Chris- 
tians ; and can have no doubt but there are different degrees in 
glory ; though all are perfectly happy ; but small vessels cannot 
hold so much as large ones ; notwithstanding all may be full : 1 
Cor. iii. 8. Heaven is a place; our Lord has a body like our 
own, and that cannot be omnipresent ; and wherever he is cor- 
poreally, there is heaven: John xii. 26. Enoch and Elijah have 
bodies there ; and so will all the redeemed. There we shall see 
our dear little ones that were taken from us ; we loved them here 
— how much more when we behold them smiling, shining cherubs ! 
Husbands and wives, parents and children, ministers and people, 
kindred and friends, will there meet, to part no more forever. 
And seeing we have no right to suppose that our memories will 
fail us, what can prevent us from knowing each other ? Peter, 
James, and John, knew Moses and Elias : Matt. xvii. 1-8. Paul 
told the Thessalonians they were his hope, and joy, and crown, at 
the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ : 1 Thess. ii. 19. Surely, 
then he must know them. 



OF HAPPINESS IN HEAVEN. 187 

"In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so I would have 
told you ; I go to prepare a place for you. ' ' — John xiv. 2. 

OUE blessed Jesus, to give his followers the best of comfort 
in the worst of times, assures them, that in his " Father's 
house are many mansions " Heaven is a house; not a tent that is 
put up but for a few days ; neither is it a house made with hands, 
that, with its builder, must shortly crumble into dust : 2 Cor. v. 
1. The Saviour calls it his "Father's house ; " and we know that 
his Father is the Father of every believer in him ; and that his 
house is their home : John i. 12. There are different apartments, 
it appears, in his house, and such as will well accommodate his 
whole family. There may be one for every grade ; but be that 
as it may, there are " many mansions " in it, sufficient to receive 
all with every comfort. But commodious as " Father's house" 
is, it would not be large enough for two families ; therefore, our 
Emmanuel says, " / go to prepare a place for you" my brethren, 
the " sons of God : " 1 John iii. 2. Every occupant will be com- 
pletely swallowed up of glory and of God. Multitudes who pos- 
sessed not a foot of land on earth, will possess a mansion after 
death: Luke xii. 32. Of the reality of all this happiness there 
can be no doubt, for the adorable Eedeemer declares, " If it were 
not so I would have told you:" men may deceive you — you may 
deceive yourselves — but I will not — " I go to prepare a place for 
you : " and I will fetch you to it when I have prepared you for 
it : John xiv. 3. 

Heaven is a place of perfect purity ; and this to the Chris- 
tian is worth dying for, to leave behind the body of this death ; 
this continual strife and warring in the members ; this inability 
to do the things we would ; this proneness to sin ; to be innocent 
as the first Adam in Eden, and holy as the second Adam in 
heaven ! Heaven is a social state ; here we have but few holy 
companions ; but there we shall have a vast multitude ; who will 
all unite with us in recounting the mercies and goodness of our 
God; and aid us in ascribing Salvation to our God which sitteth 
on the throne, and unto the Lamb: Rev. vii. ( .), 10. Our society 
there will be the most dignified, and our Employments the most 
exalted, 



188 OF PLEASURE AND JOY IN HEAVEN. 

" Thou wilt show me the path of life ; in thy presence is fulness of joy ; at 
thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore." — Ps. xvi. 14. 

IT is the highest wisdom for a man to let his sins die before 
he dies himself. As Christ is the Head and his Church the 
body, all who have had their sins put to death, may, with confi- 
dence and comfort to themselves, say, " Thou ivilt sJioiv me the 
path of life/ 7 A good head and a good heart are from the good 
grace of God ; and are necessary to every good work : Phil. ii. 13. 
God will not only " shoiv us the path of life," but will also put 
his Spirit within us, and so cause us to walk in that path : Ezek. 
xxxvi. 27. Sorrow is our lot in this world ; but in heaven there 
is joy prepared for us. Here our greatest joys are empty and 
imperfect ; but in the "presence of God" we shall have "ful- 
ness of joy;" our cup of joy will be so full, there will be no 
room for one drop of sorrow : 1 Cor. ii. 9. Here our sweetest 
pleasures are but momentary ; they fly away, and are succeeded 
by bitter sorrows ; but at " God's right hand, there are pleasures 
for ever more" They are immortal pleasures ; suited to immortal 
souls, who are to enjoy them forever, in the presence of an eternal 
God. T\ r e shall also have the presence and sight of the blessed 
Saviour, "in whom clwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead 
bodily : " Col. ii. 9. Neither the place, the company, the harps, 
nor the crowns, could substitute for Jesus ; it could be no heaven 
without him ; we shall, therefore, be with him — be like him — 
and ever enjoy his presence : Phil. i. 23. We are now in prison 
— the compassionate Captain of our Salvation often visits us in 
our cell ; and helps us to supplies through our bars ; but the best 
of all his visits will be his last ; when he will not only come to 
us, but for us : John xiv. 3. Our joy in heaven will be joy, ex- 
ceeding joy; and "glory with exceeding joy:" Jude 24. It is 
life, " eternal life ; " it is salvation, an " everlasting salvation ; n 
it is a kingdom, a kingdom " that cannot be shaken ; " it is a 
crown, " a crown of glory that f adeth not away." Every power, 
passion, and faculty we possess, will be continually expanding and 
filling with the knowledge and love of God, in whose presence is 
fulness of joy. It is good to have God dwell with us, but it will 
be far better when we dwell with God, 



OF PLEASURE AND JOY IN HEAVEN. 189 

"/ will make thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of thy 
Lord. ' ' — Matt. xxv. 21. 

C HEIST will never say, " Well done ! " to any who have not 
done well. It matters but little who speaks ill of us in this 
our day, if we but know that God will speak well of us in the last 
day. But our Eedeeming Lord will not put his faithful servants 
off with merely giving them a good name ; for he will do well 
unto them : Eom. ii. 6. " I will make thee ruler over many things" 
All we can do for Christ is very little ; and it is most ungrateful 
not to do the little we may. If all our doings, sufferings, and 
improvings, were put together, they would scarcely be worth 
naming ; much less worthy to be compared with the glory which 
shall be revealed by him for, yea, in us : Eom. viii. 18. Amongst 
the " many things " he has in store for those who serve him, are, 
a crown of righteousness : 2 Tim. iv. 8 ; a throne of glory : Eev. 
iii. 21; and a kingdom: Luke xii. 32. They may have been 
beggars here, but that shall not prevent their being rulers in 
heaven. Here they have but flashes of joy and floods of sorrow ; 
but there they shall enter fully "into the joy of their Lord" 
The joy of heaven will be pure, free from all alloy : an ocean of 
joy without one drop of grief. Let the eye turn which way 
soever it may, nothing but joy will be to be seen : — the presence 
and enjoyment of God and the Lamb will fill both soul and body 
unutterably full of unutterable joy. All sadness shall be turned 
into songs ; and the tears in which you now sow, will issue in 
floods, yea, rivers of pleasure for you to bathe in : Eev. vii. 15- 
17. Now we see through a glass darkly ; but then face to face. 
Now we know in part ; then shall we know even as we are known. 
Now we are assaulted by the enemy ; then we shall be freed from 
every foe ; and have nothing in us that temptation can operate 
upon. Nothing will be found there to mar our pleasures, nor 
wound our peace. Here Christians are in their infancy, there 
they will arrive at the fulness of the stature of Christ. Here, at 
best, they are faithful over but few things ; there they are made 
"rulers over many things" Here we are saved by hope; there 
we possess the reality. Now we have the earnest; then the 
inheritance. 



190 OF GLORY INT HEAVEN. 

"They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and 
they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever." — Dan. 
xii. 3. 

MAZSTY are wise in their own account, who are fools in God's* 
account : 1 Cor. iii. 19. X one are truly wise, but such as 
are wise for their souls and eternity : and all such, being taught 
of God. must be truly wise ; and it will be made to appear in 
eternity, that they were such : although they were counted fools. 
They who walk in the way of wisdom in time, shall have a glori- 
ous reward in eternity. •• They shall shine as the brightness of the 
firmament:' Here they are buried in obscurity, and loaded with 
reproach and shame : but there, when God shall have rolled away 
their reproach, they will shine like an unclouded sky ; and that 
in the same proportion as they have made themselves useful in 
instructing others: Matt. v. 19. For "they that turn many to 
righteousness." that is. turn the wicked from the error of their 
ways, from sin to holiness, and help them to fly from that death 
which is the wages of sin ; shall have a great addition to their own 
glory by sharing in the glory of others : James v. 20. ••' They 
shall shine as the stars." Christ is the Sun, the fountain of all 
light, and those who teach others may be considered as stars; 
some shining much brighter than others, but all shining in that 
light they derive from him who is the Author of light ; both of 
grace and glory. 

Figures were originally used, not for ornament, but to explain 
the sacred truths ; and we need them for the same purpose still. 
We have no way of understanding what is difficult, but by the 
application of what is familiar. Xo wonder, then, in order that 
we might have some weak conceptions of the glory of heaven, 
that we read of rivers of pleasure ; trees of life : palms of victory: 
crowns of glory ; feastings and mirths : treasures and triumphs : 
singing and shouting: — and a thousand other images which serve 
to show us a little of the glorious substance, which God has laid 
up for them that fear him : Ps. xxxi. 19. And when the stars 
shall fall from heaven as leaves from the trees, and their lights 
shall have gone out. the saints shall shine "forever and ever." 
Trim your lamp in time, that it may burn well in eternity. 



OF GLORY IN HEAVEN. 191 

" When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with 
him in glory. " — Col. iii. 4. 

JESUS CHEIST is the life of all who believe on him : Gal. 
ii. 20. By him we are brought to the enjoyment of God : 
being quickened by his Spirit, and conformed to his image, we 
are enabled to live on God's fulness of grace, and do all with an 
eye to his glory : Phil. i. 21. He is " our life" being the source 
and maintainer of life : he purchased eternal life for his people ; 
bestows it on them ; dwells in their hearts ; comforts them while 
on their pilgrimage ; and, at their journey's end, will give them 
all that eternal blessedness he has purchased and prepared for 
them : John xi. 25. Christ is now hid, and our life is hid with 
him ; but he will not always be concealed : for he will " appear " 
in all the splendor of the heavenly world, accompanied by ten 
thousand times ten thousand glorified saints and angels : Dan. 
vii. 10; Eev. vii. 9, 10. It will be Christ's glory to have his 
saints with him : 2 Thess. i. 10 ; and it will be their glory to be 
with him : John xvii. 24. AVhat a glorious meeting, when glori- 
fied saints, and glorified angels, with a glorified Christ, " appear 
in glory ! " 

And " ye also," yes, " ye also, shall appear with him in glory : " 
notwithstanding your unworthiness, your many short-comings, 
and base ingratitude, he will have you with him in glory : John 
xiii. 1. There is your head ; there is your home ; there is your 
all ; and there " ye shall be also ; " and that forever. Even on 
earth, the Christian realizes more of the glory of heaven than he 
can find language to express. What can equal the state of those, 
who, with humble confidence, can say, " Being justified by faith, 
we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; by 
whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we 
stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God?" Bom. v. 1. 2. 
The thought of such amazing glory in heaven, creates constant 
joys upon earth ! " For our light affliction, which is but for a 
moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight 
of glory:" 2 Cor. iv. 17. But why should we any longer darken 
counsel with words, seeing it is impossible for finite language 
to describe Infinite glory? 1 Cor. ii. 9. But what we know not 
now, we shall know hereafter. 



192 OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 

" The saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the 
kingdom. " — Dan. vii. 18. 

SAINTS are persons who are holy, in heart and in life; and 
are distinguished from sinners, or the world, by their godly 
walk and conversation: Ps. xvi. 3. They are travellers to Zion; 
and the more difficulties they meet on their way. the sweeter 
will be their heaven, when they come to it : Isa. xxxv. 10. Sin- 
ners cavil at. and persecute the saints, while here ; but God will 
plead their cause hereafter; and "the saints of the Most High 
shall take the Kingdom." to which they are now heirs. Even 
while in this sinful state, they have dominion over their own 
corruptions and lusts ; and. through grace, they are constantly 
obtaining victories over the world, temptations, and Satan: 1 
John v. 4. The saints rule, by the Spirit's ruling in them ; and 
have the kingdom now within them : Luke xvii. 21. But they 
will shortly be within the kingdom, and possess it : Luke xii. 32. 
According to the promise of Christ, they are now looking for, 
travelling to, and in expectation of. an everlasting kingdom, 
and a never-fading crown: 1 Pet. i. 4; v. 4. They are assured 
that Christ has a kingdom ; and know that what is his, is theirs ; 
and that they are his : 1 Cor. iii. 21-23. ;; They shall possess the 
kingdom : " having taken it, they shall possess it in peace. They 
shall throw down their sword, and take up their crown : and 
being at the end of their journey, their staff will be laid aside, 
and the sceptre used in its stead. They will then have left off 
praying, and commenced praising ; their watching will be ended, 
their danger being over : faith will be lost in sight, and hope 
drowned in the ocean of sensible and full enjovnient : Kev. xxi. 
3,4. 

Say not, poor, tried soul, that this kingdom is not for you ; 
that it is too good for you. The gate of heaven is now opened 
to you : your hope is in Christ, perfect and complete ; look unto 
him. and him alone. In Christ we are, 1st. Perfectly cleansed 
from all guilt : Eom. viii. 1. 2d. Restored to perfect righteous- 
ness : 1 Cor. i. 30. 3d. Completely reconciled to God : 2 Cor. v. 
18. And, 4th. We have the gates of the kingdom thrown open 
to us : Heb. x. 19-22. Here is all you can need : a glorious 
crown and perfection in Christ. 



OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. 193 

" Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from 
the foundation of the world. " — Matt. xxv. 24. 

THE best wine is reserved for the last. This last come, from 
the lips of our immortal King, will be the most joyful of 
all his gracious words. As Christ loves his saints best, so he 
will reckon with them first. What unutterable joy will fill their 
hearts, when, as they wake up from their dusty beds, they meet 
with such a hearty welcome from the lips of their gracious 
Eedeemer ! " Come " to me, and be forever with me : 2 Thess. 
iv. 17. " Come, ye " that followed me below, bearing your cross ; 
come and wear a crown : 2 Tim. iv. 8. " Come, ye " who were 
hated, persecuted, and cursed, by the world ; " ye blessed of my 
Father;" beloved from, and blessed to eternity. "Ye blessed" 
in me with all spiritual blessings ; I was given to, sought by, 
and found of you ; laid down my life for you ; gathered you to 
myself ; and now come and reign with me : Eph. i. 3. Ye beloved 
of my soul, whom I redeemed from the curse of the law ; I made 
it your privilege to come boldly to a throne of grace ; and now 
you are welcome to a throne of glory : Luke xxii. 29, 30. u Inherit 
the kingdom," which I purchased and " prepared for yon" I told 
you, that " in my Father's house were many mansions," and, that 
" I would prepare a place for you ; " now come and see, that I 
have done all things according to my promise. All is now ready 
for your reception ; come in, and take possession. " Come I " I 
told you I would come again, and receive you to myself; and 
now, here I am ; and give you ten thousand welcomes in one ! 
Come to my house — my throne — my arms — my heart. All has 
been "prepared for you from the foundation of the world; " so that 
you have all by the free gift of my Father's love and good pleas- 
ure, prepared by his grace, and reserved for you. " Come I " Take 
possession now ! Here are your Mansions — your Seats — your 
Thrones — your Sceptres — your Kingdoms — your Crowns! 
Reign forever! Then will they sing, "Salvation to our God 
which ritteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb:" Rev. viii. 9, L0. 
Hold constant communion with God; and von will enjoy a heaven 

while on earth ; and a heaven after death. HALLELUJAH ! The 

Lord God omnipotent reigneth ! 



•;t r:-:z "::z>"i 

• With thee is the fountain of fife; in thy light shall we see light. " — Ps. 
xxxri. 9. 

LI7Z and light shall be the eternal portion of the saints: 
their bliss will be the enjoyment of God: and since he 
is eternal, their happiness must be endless. Observ- 

First. In him they have a a fountain of life" As the streams 
are dependent on the spring, and the beams on the sun, so we are 
dependent on God : 1st. For our natural life ; we derived it from 
him, and it is owing to his pity, patience, and fatherly care, that 
our lives have been prolonged. TTe could not move a limb, nor 
have a being but for him A.cta xvii. 28. The God of nature is 
the God of all natural life. 2d. He is the Fountain of all spirit- 
ual life. All the strength, comfort, principles, powers, and per- 
formances, of a sanctified soul^ he is the Spring and Author of : 
John L 4. And, 3d. He is the Fountain of eternal life; for 
without him there could be no heaven : Ps. xvi 11. He is not 
a wasting stream, that soon exhausts - store ; but a never-failing 
7 uhtaest, ever flowing in plenteous supplies for every demand. 

Secondly. In him they have light. This is a dark world, and 
e but little comfort in it ; but the more we have of God, 
even now. the more we have of light: for u God is light : *' 1 John 
Those only who have an acquaintance with God have seen 
the light. 1st. Divine light now shines in the word of truth; 
but more especially in the face of Jesus Christ : John viii IS 
2<L When the curtain of time is wound up, then, and not 
till then. " shall ice see light in His light/ 9 in the highest perfec- 
tion : 1 Cor. xiii. 12. X ow our brightest views are but like look- 
ing at the sun through an opaque glass, and our sight constantly 
interrupted by flying-clouds ; but there, our light will be bright, 
real and lasting. Here we have dark nights, and cloudy days ; 
there we shall have our light from God and the Lamb ; whom 
no cloud can darken : 1 John in. . now have his presence 

in grace; but then we shall have it in glory: Eev. xxi. S. _ 
Cheer up, poor, trembling believer ! your troublesome days, and 
wearisome nights, will soon be at an end. Take gospel-courage 
and press on. 



OF THE ENJOYMENT OF GOD. 195 

"So shall we ever be with the Lord. " — 1 Thess. iv. 17. 

THE thought of a resurrection should always be a spring of 
consolation : and when we lose our godly friends by death, 
we should bear in mind, that they are only gone to bed a little 
before us. Nor should we forget, that when Christ calls them up 
in the morning of the last day, we, with them, shall be carried 
on clouds, and conducted by angels into our Father's house, to go 
out no more : " So shall we ever be ivitli the Lord." Then shall 
we, not only meet together, but remain together, " ever with the 
Lord." Now we walk by faith : 2 Cor. v. 7 ; but in heaven, we 
shall see the smiles and beauty of our Redeemer's face without a 
veil between : 1 John iii. 2. Now is our seed-time, and we have 
to labor in the field ; but when the harvest is gathered in, we 
shall have our Harvest-Home ; and ever be with the Harvest- 
Lord. Here we have frequently to complain of interruptions 
in our communion with God; but there, no intruder will be 
admitted ; and we shall have nothing to mar our eternal enjoy- 
ment of the Lord. We have to lament our darkness here ; but 
we shall have light enough there : Rev. xxii. 5. Here we have 
to grapple with death ; but there we shall have everlasting life : 
Rev. xxi. 4. Now we are deprived of many things ; then we 
shall possess all things : Rev. xxi. 7. 

Glory is a flower that can never fade ; the possessor of it shall 
be always pleased and delighted with it: Ps. xvi. 11. All true 
Christians are born of God : John i. 12, 13 ; and all who are born 
of God, are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ: Rom. 
viii. 17; and those who are heaven-born, are heaven-bound; and 
will shortly be in the full enjoyment of God, their inheritance. 
In the enjoyment of God, we shall have Peace, Plenty, Profit. 
Pleasure, Base, Health, Honor, Riches, Glory, Immortality, and 
Eternal laic ! Yea, we shall have Thrones for our seats; Crowns 
for our heads; Sceptres for our hands; Heaven for our home; 
God lor our Father ; Christ for our brother; Angels for our com- 
panions; and axl that heaven can hold for our possessions: Rev, 
xxi. 7. 0, believer, abide in Jjesus ! rest satisfied; very shortly 
your Jesus shall be from heaven revealed, to make you forever 
happy in his rest, 



PART II. 

PROMISES TO SIVIRAL PEACES AH> DUTIES. 



CHAPTER I. 

MI5ES 7 DUTIES '7 THE TIP.^T TABLE. 
I : FAITH EH CHKISI 

Wt EM zilieveth shall not make hmate. " — Isa. xxviii. 16. 



\\ 



^ITHOITT a foundation.no house can stand a storm; but 
one well built upon a rock, bids defiance to floods and 
winds: Man. vii 24-27. God has laid a sure foundation for 
tout faith, and you are required to build upon it; it is a founda- 
tion laid in Zion, the Church. It is one which thousands have 
already tried, by building their hopes of heaven upon it ; and has 
,r been known to fail one : Roul a Neithei "ill it fail 

you. if you venture your all upon it : for it is still written. •• H- 
that believeth shall not make haste." This is our mercy. Jesus 
Chp.ist is the main, principal object ; for faith and Christ must 
go together. "He that believeth;" that is. receiveth and res~ eth 
upon Christ alone for salvation : Acta it. 1- : and deriveth all his 
hopes of life and happiness from hum "shall not make haste." 
He shall not be confounded: 1 Pet ii. 6. His expectation shall 
not be cut off ; he shall not be in a hurry : but will quietly and 
patiently wait till the coming of his Lord : Lam. iii. 26 ; being 
fully persuaded, that he that shall come, will come, and not 
tarry: Heb. x 7. Sin and Satan shall not overcome -he that 
believeth ; v his heart is fixed; and being confident that Jesus 
reigns, he smiles at every storm ; and has no doubt of reigning 
with him. 



TO FAITH IN CHRIST. 197 

"If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth." — 

Mark ix. 23. 

WITHOUT believing in Christ, there can be no love to, nor 
comfort from him ; as poor needy sinners, we have con- 
stantly to cleave to Jesus from hour to hour. The most exalted 
apostle, and the most obscure sinner, are upon a level. Both 
have the same evils to be delivered from; both believe in the 
same Jesus, to obtain the same end, and enjoy peace with God, 
through him : Rom. v. 1. The enemy of your soul will do all he 
can to cause you to question the power, or willingness, of Christ 
to save you ; and the Saviour knowing this, would rather put you 
upon questioning your own faith. " If thou canst believe " that 
that hard heart of thine can be broken by the power of his grace ; 
" believe " all that he has promised — part with all thy sins, let 
them be ever so pleasurable — venture all that concerns thy soul 
with him, and all that concerns thy body for him, then thou shalt 
know, that "all things are possible to him that believeth: " Phil. iv. 
13. Canst thou believe that though thou art a sinner, Jesus 
Christ is both able and willing to save thee ? Acts xiii. 39. 
Durst thou believe, that if thou venturest all upon him, he will 
now save thee ? Eom. iv. 5. Remember, he speaks to thee, as if 
thou hadst nothing to do but believe ; for do what thou wilt 
without believing, it will amount to nothing : Heb. xi. 6. Do 
not say, " I cannot believe ; " for you certainly have as much 
power to believe, as you have to pray ; and as you try to pray, so 
do you try to believe : John i. 12. It is true, in your corrupt 
nature, there dwells no good thing : Eom. vii. 18 ; but it is the 
will, and the work of God, that you are aiming at ; and will not 
;i God of love and grace put out his hand to help his own work ? 
Gal. iii. 22. Will he not help a poor, weak creature, to do his 
own will? l\s. xlii. 5. Jesus ever lives and prays; gospel-grace 
is still proclaimed to the wretched. Come to Jesus, owning your 
sin, and grieving for your folly ; and believe in him. "that ye 
uvax know that ye have eternal life : " 1 John v. L3, You have 
good reason to believe, drawn from the love of God. The Father 
gave his Son ; faith approves that gifi : John iii. Hi. « If thou 

ill flv before thv faith. 



198 TO FAITH IN CHRIST. 

" Every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live." — Numb. 
xxi. 8. 

MOST serpents are poisonous ; and all sins are ruinous. 
Our sins are never mortified, till we have seen Christ 
crucified. When Israel sinned against God, fiery serpents were 
sent amongst them by Him; which bit the people, and much 
people erf Israel died ; and had not He found a cure, all must 
have died. When they prayed, the Lord heard ; a serpent of 
brass was made ; and, that all might have the privilege of look- 
ing upon it, it was set upon a pole in the midst of the Israelitish 
camp. Their cure was conditional ; " Every one that looketh upon 
it shall live;" and which plainly implied, that the bitten who did 
not look upon it, would not live. Their case and cure very 
much resemble ours. 

1st. They were mortally wounded by the serpents, whose bite 
was fiery ; so are we, by the old serpent, Rev. xii. 9, whose darts 
are fiery : Eph. vi. 16. 2d. The bite of the serpent heated and 
inflamed the whole body ; hence they are called " fiery serpents ; " 
so do lust and passion inflame the soul, while the tamest sins bite 
like the wildest serpents : Prov. xxiii. 32. 3d. They could not 
heal the wounds the serpents made ; neither can we, those that 
sin hath made : Ezek. xviii. 4. 4th. God devised the plan of 
their recovery, and had it put into effect ; so he did the plan of 
our salvation : John iii. 14, 15. 5th. Moses lifted up the serpent ; 
the law (as a school-master) brings us to Christ : Gal. iii. 24. 6th. 
As all were saved who looked upon the serpent on the pole ; so 
all are saved who look upon Jesus Christ, as having been lifted 
up on the cross, and as he is held forth on the pole of the Gospel : 
John iii. 16. 7th. If the serpent-bitten Hebrews had not have 
believed in the remedy, they would not have looked unto it ; 
neither will the wounded sinner, unless he believes : Matt. xiii. 
58. The method of healing might have seemed very unlikely ; 
still they looked and lived. Do thou likewise. 

Do you believe on the name of the Son of God, as the only 
Saviour of lost sinners ? When this truth is believed in the 
heart, that soul has an earnest of eternal life. Faith comes by 
hearing the word of truth. 



TO FAITH IN CHRIST. 199 

" / am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should 
not abide in darkness. " — John xii. 46. 

rr^HANK God ! though our case is bad, it is not desperate ; 
-L though we have wandered in the dark, we are not left in it : 
John viii. 12. We have here, 

First. The design of Christ's mission ; " I am come a light" &c. 
He is the source and medium of all divine knowledge, and came a 
" light into the world ; " 1st. By his office. He had, for ages, been 
announced as " the Sun of righteousness : " Mai. iv. 2 ; and a 
" light to lighten the Gentiles : " Isa. xlii. 6. He taught the 
most sublime and important doctrines — explained the law and 
the prophets — made known the will of God, John i. 18, the re- 
demption of the world, and the way of salvation : John iii. 16-18. 
2d. By his Gospel " Life and immortality are brought to light 
by the Gospel : " 2 Tim. i. 10. It discovers the nature, blessings 
and privileges of the covenant of grace ; and teaches the only 
way to holiness, happiness and heaven : 1 Cor. i. 21. 3d. By his 
Spirit. He dissipates darkness and error, and, as a Spirit of 
wisdom, communicates spiritual knowledge and holiness to them 
that believe : 1 Cor. ii. 10. Thus Christ is the true light of the 
moral world. 

Secondly. The principle of salvation ; " that ivho soever believeth 
on me." 1st. The object of faith is specified; "on me." We 
should believe in the divinity of his person — the authority of 
his mission — the efficacy of his sacrifice — the dignity of his 
offices — and the sufficiency of his. grace: 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. 2d. 
The nature of faith is implied; " whosoever believeth." Faith is 
represented by looking to, Isa. xlv. 22, receiving from, Matt. xi. 
28, and trusting in Christ, for every promised blessing: Eph. i. 
12, 13. 3d. The necessity of faith is suggested. "He thai 
believeth not is condemned already:" John iii. 18. But living 
faith in the Redeemer secures all the benefits of redemption: 
John iii. 36. 

Thirdly, The privilege of believers; "they shall not abide in 
darkness." 1st. They shall not abide in mental darkness : 1 Pet, 
ii. 9. Their former darkness LS passed away. 2<L They shall not 
abide in spiritual darkness. Faith in Jesus delivers the soul from 

guilt, purifies the heart, and fills it with peace and joy, 



200 TO CONFESSING CHRIST. 

"He that covereth his sins shall not prosper : but whoso confesseth and 
forsaketh them shall find mercy. " — Prov. xxviii. 13. 

MEN" who indulge in sins, seldom want an excuse for them ; 
and though they may be naked themselves, they will 
strive to find a covering for their sins. "He that covereth his 
sins" denieth the Saviour ; and covereth his shame, that will, 
sooner or later, cover him : Dan. xii. 2. Sins covered cannot be 
pardoned ; and, therefore, the expectation of the most artful sin- 
ner shall assuredly be cut off : Prov. x. 28. Are you convinced 
of your sins ? is their burden really grievous ? If so, remember, 
that hiding a wound will never cure it. Go and "confess your 
sins " to that God against whom you have committed them. Con- 
fess that you stand in need of an Almighty Eedeemer, a Divine 
Physician, just such an one as is Jesus Christ ; plead his merits ; 
and do not despair of obtaining mercy. But be sure you "for- 
sake " every sin ; for one leak will sink a ship, if it is not soon 
stopped ; and one sin, unforgiven, would ruin the soul. Confess 
Jesus Christ to be your only Saviour; for it is he alone that 
raises dead sinners, from the death of sin, unto a life of righteous- 
ness : Eph. ii. 1, 2. Uncover your sins, lay them all at his foot- 
stool, remind him of his promise, plead its fulfilment, 1 John i. 
9, and you may depend upon finding mercy : Isa. lv. 7. 

Christ is the only Fountain open for sin and uncleanness ; none 
other can wash away our guilty stains : Zech. xiii. 1 ; and no 
other physician can heal our wounded consciences. Having con- 
fessed, and forsook your sins, be careful not to return to them 
again. And remember, that whatever else you may apply to your 
diseased soul, beside Christ, will do you no good: Acts iv. 12. 
Jesus is the only remedy, a never-failing remedy, and must be 
applied by faith : Acts xvi. 31. There is but one atonement for 
sin ; but one advocate between God and sinners ; but one Jesus 
to save sinners ; but one Spirit to sanctify sinners ; and but one 
way of saving sinners. To be saved from sin, we must confess 
and forsake sin ; confess and cleave to Christ the Saviour of sin- 
ners ; plead his merits, and obey his commands. Faith inspires 
prayer ; and prayer brings courage to the heart : Ps. iv. 1, 8. 



TO CONFESSING CHRIST. 201 

" Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also 
before my Father which is in heaven ." — Matt. x. 32. 

THEEE are many who confess Christ in words, who deny him 
in works ; who know much, but do little ; who talk about 
heavenly things fluently, while they pursue earthly things eager- 
ly ; and have a fair outside, but a foul inside. But all such wear 
their religion as they do their clothes ; all without and none 
within : Matt, xxiii. 27, 28. To " confess Christ before men" we 
must, notwithstanding danger and opposition, openly profess and 
adhere to his truths and ordinances ; and not fly from duty even 
to save life : Matt. x. 37-39. We profess our faith in Christ by 
suffering his will, as much as in doing his will : Rom. viii. 17. 
And what Christ has made our duty here, will be our highest 
honor hereafter. " Him will I confess also before my Father" If 
we are not ashamed of our relation to him before men, he will not 
be ashamed of his relation to us before God. " Him will I con- 
fess " as one of mine ; as one of my particular friends ; as one 
who loved me, and was beloved by me. He confessed me when 
it cost him hard service ; and " I will confess him " when it will 
do him good service : Eom. x. 9. I will put in a good word for 
him, as having owned my cause openly, and borne my cross faith- 
fully ; while " I will confess him publicly." In opposition to the 
pride of human reason, the true believer confesses Christ to be 
that " Word which was with God and was God : " John i. 1-3 ; 
and unequivocally acknowledges him to be the mighty Maker of 
all things : Col. i. 16 ; " God manifest in the flesh : " 1 Tim. iii. 
16. He feels a lively concern for the extension of the gospel of 
Christ, who, in a scriptural sense, confesses Christ : and manifests 
tins pious zeal by owning, adhering to, and aiding the followers 
of Christ: Johnxiii. 35; by administering affectionate and sea- 
sonable reproof to the ungodly: Eph. v. 11 ; by exhibiting to the 
world an example of Christian excellence: Matt. v. 13-16; and by 
suffering wrong, rather than do wrong: Acts xx. 23, 24 If you 

confess Je8US truly, in your dav, lie will confess you really, in 
his day. This gracious declaration is a cheering consideration, a 
sweet consolation. 



202 TO KEPENTANCE. 

" The Lord your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his 
face from you, if you return unto him." — 2 Chron. xxx. 9. 

THE world in which we live is one of sorrow, in consequence 
of being a world of sin ; and it is a cause of great grief, that 
we see so little sorrow for sin in the world : 2 Cor. vii. 10. Sin 
blinds the eyes to the love of God, and hardens the heart against 
his fear ; it makes the spirit become stout and rebellious ; and 
causes the sinner to shake off convictions as a sheep does the rain. 
Are you led to discover the exceeding sinfulness of your sins ? — 
If so, it is because " The Lord your God is gracious : " for it is He, 
who, by his word and Spirit, hath convinced you of your sins : 
John xvi. 8. He has also appointed the means of your salvation 
from sin ; and requires and encourages your repentance : Joel ii. 
13. Beware of those, who, by their laughing or frowning, would 
put you out of the way of salvation : Prov. xiv. 9. Bear in mind 
that your sins were committed by a poor, ungrateful worm, against 
the infinitely good, omnipotent King of heaven ; and that it is he 
who breaks the heart for sin : and follow the example of the noble 
Bereans : Acts xvii. 11. Look in that correct glass, and you will 
there see the awful, but true, picture of every man, as he is in a 
state of nature; and also of those who have been changed by 
divine grace. But do not let a sight of your alarming condition 
by nature and practice, sink you into despair ; for " He is gracious 
and merciful : " He delights in pardoning penitent sinners ; "and 
will not turn away his face from you ." You have long turned your 
back upon him ; but he will not turn his back upon you ; no ; for 
he has wounded, and he will heal, " if you return unto him : " Hos. 
vi. 1. Look to him who bore our sins in his own body on the 
tree ; by whose stripes we are healed : 1 Pet. ii. 24. 

Look upon him whose pitying look broke unfaithful Peter's 
heart : Luke xxii. 61. Turn your eye toward the reeking cross 
on which your Saviour hung, with your sins in his body ; view 
him sweating, groaning, bleeding, dying, and praying for you ; 
and then say, can you doubt his willingness to save you ? Ps. Ii. 
17. He did not turn away his face from the dying penitent. 



TO REPENTANCE. 203 

" Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out." 
— Acts iii. 19. 

SIJSTS unrepented of, are sins unforgiven; but sins pardoned 
are sins blotted out : Is a. xliv. 22. Eepentance and conver- 
sion are now, by many, considered to be very unfashionable doc- 
trines, which no minister, mindful of his reputation, will care to 
preach ; nor any one desirous of living in ease and security will 
be disposed to hear. However, it was the uniform practice of the 
first ministers of the gospel, to give them a prominent place in 
all their discourses, whether men would bear it or not. So it was 
with Paul : Acts xx. 21 ; and such was the conduct of Peter, on 
the day of Pentecost : Acts ii. 38 ; and again in the words before 
us. Observe, 

1st. The change prescribed as necessary to pardon. Eepent- 
ance, from its very nature, supposeth past misconduct ; for where 
there has been no misconduct, repentance is not only unnecessary, 
but impossible. All have sinned ; and all are called upon to re- 
pent : Kom. v. 12. "Repent ye therefore;" for ye have no right 
to expect the pardon of your sins, without repenting of them : 
Luke xiii. 3, 5. Sorrow for sin is a happy sorrow ; it produces a 
hatred to sin ; worketh unto life ; and without it we have nothing 
to expect but death : Eom. vi. 23. Look upon your sins as those 
rebels that have broken God's law ; murdered his only begotten 
Son ; and ruined your precious soul. Do not rest satisfied with 
the mere hope of doing better for the time to come ; but earnestly 
entreat the Searcher of all hearts to light up the candle of his 
grace in your soul ; that you may clearly see what you really are ; 
for it is only by that light we can discover our own darkness : 
Eph. v. 13, 14. There are many grievous things standing in 
God's account-book against all unconverted sinners. 

2d. The arguments employed to induce men to repent: "that 
ye maybe converted;" turn right about, from sin to holiness; 
turn unto the Lord, study his word, call upon his name, &c, 
" that your sins may be blotted out " of the book of God's remem- 
brance : 2 Cor. v. 17. Christ is now watching and waiting for 
your repentance, and praying for your conversion. 



204 TO CONFESSING OF SIN. 

"/ said, I will confess my transgression unto the Lord ; and thou forgavest 
the iniquity of my sin." — Ps. xxxii. 5. 

DAVID suffered himself to be put to the rack before he would 
acknowledge his sins : ver. 3, 4 ; he held out to the last 
extremity, before he would surrender. But when he did yield, 
he found that God was more ready to forgive, than he was to con- 
fess his sins: Jer. iii. 12, 13. U I said. I will confess my trans- 
gression;" I said it. and resolved to do it: I had sinned, both 
publicly and privately, and I determined to confess it fully. I 
had long tried to conceal my sins, until my conscience became so 
laden with guilt, and armed with vengeance, I could take no 
rest; and then, "I said. I will confess my trangression unto the 
Lord; " who can either pardon or punish me for my sins. "When, 
lo ! I had no sooner made an honest confession, than "thou for- 
gavest the iniquity of my sin;" and gavest me the comfortable 
assurance that all my sins were pardoned : Ps. ciii. 12. 

There is a willingness on the part of man to commit, a readiness 
on the part of God to forgive, and a reluctancy on the part of the 
sinner to confess, sin : Lev. xxvi. 40—42. Take encouragement, 
and confess your sins ; for nothing can harm you but your sins : 
and they ; like so many stings of death, will be ever wounding and 
depriving your soul of ease, until you make a free and ingenuous 
confession of them : Job xxxiii. 27, 28. Guilt is the sting of sin; 
and will never allow you a moment's real peace, until it is ex- 
tracted ; but, like a never-dying worm, will eat away all your hap- 
piness, here and hereafter. 

Lose not another minute, but go to God, and humbly confess 
your sins, in faithful, fervent prayer : Prov. xxviii. 13. David 
had no rest while he concealed his sins ; for even his silence 
made him roar all the day long, as though he had been under 
some great bodily pain ; when the truth was, it was the disquie- 
tude of his soul, the struggles he felt within his own bosom, that 
was the cause of all his uneasiness. But when he made the 
resolve to cover his sins no longer, and honestly acknowledged 
them " unto the Lord," his roaring was soon turned into blessing 
and praising : Ps, ciii. 1-3. 



TO CONFESSING OF SIN. 205 

" The son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy 
sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his 
servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his 
hand, and shoes on his feet." — Luke xv. 21, 22. 

THE prodigal's rambling from his father's house, shows the 
sinner's wandering from his God. Sinning is a departing 
from God ; and every sin we commit is a long step taken from 
him. Those who are slaves to their lusts, the world, or the devil, 
are not long in wasting their precious substance ; and then find 
themselves in wretchedness and want : Eccl. ix. 18. But even 
then, rather than return to God, from whom they have so shame- 
fully departed, they will hire themselves to do the most degrad- 
ing drudgery the world or the devil can find them to do: ver. 
15. But the prodigal's reception, on his return to his father, 
shows the willingness of God to forgive all those who confess 
their sins. " The son said unto him, Father, I have sinned; " he 
had made up his mind to say so, before he left the swine-trough ; 
and is now making good his promise : ver. 18. Though his kind 
old father would not allow him to say so, before he ran to him — 
fell on his neck — and kissed him; still, while his father's arms 
were entwined around his neck, he proceeds as far as, "against 
Heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy 
son " — here the old man kissed away his words, and prevented 
him asking a servant's place, as he had promised : ver. 19. The 
father saw him with eyes of love ; ran to him with feet of love ; 
embraced him in the arms of love, and pressed his lips with lips 
of love — and all to show the willingness of God to forgive re- 
turning sinners ! And who can doubt his willingness, after know- 
ing what the father said to his returning son? He does not 
spurn him on account of his rags and wretchedness ; no, "but the 
father said, Bring forth the best robe " that there is in the house ; 
take off his tattered garments, "and put it on him." It is not 
enough that you clothe him; but robe him; "and put a ring on 
his hand," that he might be known to be one of the family : and 
attend to his poor, dusty, sore feet ; see that they are washed 
and made comfortable ; for he is my son that has been so long 
lost ; the one we considered as dead ; but here he is alive. 



206 TO OBEDIENCE. 

" Be strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak; for your work shall 
be rewarded." — 2 Chron. xv. 7. 

EVEN Satan himself, when he is disposed to speak the truth, 
is constrained to acknowledge, that no one serves God for 
naught : Job i. 9. God does not bring his children up in idle- 
ness ; for though they are heirs of heaven, they must be all work- 
ers on earth : Matt. vii. 21. We must obey as well as believe : 
for though, as Christians, we do not work to live, we live to work. 
"Be strong therefore" in the Lord, and in the power of his might: 
Eph. vi. 10. " Let not your hands be weak " through fear. Never 
give place to fear ; for that will be sure to weaken your hands : 
but the more you strive against fear, the stronger you will be ; 
and the better you will be prepared for doing and suffering the 
will of God: Ps. xxvii. 1. Yon are not called upon to labor 
without a prospect of reward ; "for your ivork shall be rewarded." 
God will never suffer any of his servants to be losers by serving 
him ; whenever, or whatever, he commands, it is your business to 
obey ; " forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in 
the Lord : " 1 Cor. xv. 58. The Lord will never appoint you 
anything to do, that he will not give you strength to perform ; 
but he does reasonably expect that we should do all we can : Phil, 
iv. 13. He is our Creator, Preserver, and Eedeemer, and surely 
we ought to obey him : Mai. i. 6. He is gracious and merciful; 
and not only a Master, but a Father, and friend of all his humble 
and obedient servants ; and hence, though we can merit no good 
thing by our longest and best services, he is graciously pleased to 
accept of our services on his Son's account ; and promises to each 
who serve him, " your work shall be rewarded." 

Obedience, not in a legal, but in an evangelical sense, is the 
narrow way that leads to eternal happiness. Observe, 1st. Our 
obedience must proceed from faith ; for this is the main principle 
of the Christian life : 2 Cor. v. 7. 2d. It must flow from the 
principle of love ; for " this is the love of God, that we keep his 
commandments : " 1 John v. 3. 3d. It must be impartial and 
without reserve ; having a due regard to all his commandments : " 
Ps. cxix. 6. Exercise piety towards God and charity towards 
men. 



TO OBEDIENCE. 207 

" Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the king- 
dom of heaven ; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven/ 1 — 
Matt. vii. 21. 

JESUS CHEIST looks upon men according to what they are ; 
and not according to what they say. It will benefit us noth- 
ing to profess piety, if we practise iniquity : John xiii. 17. " Not 
every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord" with their lips, but 
deny me in their hearts and lives, " shall enter into the kingdom 
of heaven" Compliments may do for men, but will never do for 
Christ ; for his religion is in power ; and not in mere forms and 
words : 1 Cor. iv. 20. If Christianity is not a good thing, why 
do we profess it? and if it is a good thing, let us practise it. 
Let us either obey Christ, or cease to call him "Lord" Not- 
withstanding Jesus Christ is really and truly Lord : John xiii. 
13 ; he will not be put off with a mere acknowledgment of it with 
the lips, without obedience in our lives : Matt. xv. 7, 8. He is 
the Lord of glory, and expects us to have regard to his glory, 
as well as our own. He that goes no farther in religion, than 
"Lord, Lord," will stop short of the "kingdom of heaven." 
Men may be well acquainted with the forms of religion, who are 
entire strangers to the power of the same. If we do the will of 
Christ, we do "the will of his Father which is in heaven; " for the 
will of the Father is the will of the Son ; and his Father is our 
Father, if we are born of him : John i. 12, 13. And if we do his 
will on earth, we shall reign with him in heaven. But in vain 
do we talk about faith in Christ, unless we obey his commands : 
John xv. 14. A living faith is a working one : Gal. v. 6. A holy 
heart will produce a holy life : Jer. vii. 23. 

We are such debtors to God, we can never pay him all we owe ; 
and surely we ought to do the little we can. He does not demand 
a perfect obedience; he only requires a willing obedience: Tsa. 
i. 19. The servants of God are all known by their obedience to 
the will of God. There are many who know God's will, but 
do their own will; and who, while they have a head full of reli- 
gion, have a heart lull of the world: 1 John ii. 15. A Christian 
is born for heaven, and bound to heaven; lie is now a subject of 

the "kingdom of heaven." 



208 TO SINCERITY AXD UPRIGHTNESS. 

" The prayer of the upright is his delight." — Prov. xr. 8, 

GOD is so displeased with sin. that he cannot be pleased with 
anything the unconverted do ; neither will he accept of any- 
thing at their hands ; and while they love sinning, he will pay no 
regard to their praying: Ps. lxvi. 18. But u the prayer of the 
upright is his delight." The Lord has snch a peculiar regard for 
"the upright." that is, those who are honest, candid, and sincere, 
without any allowed guile, that their prayer is not only accepted 
of him, but a delight unto him : 1 Chron. xxix. 17. He is so well 
pleased with them in his Son, that he gives them praying graces, 
works in them by his Spirit, stirs them up to pray, accepts of 
their requests, and delights in doing them good : Jer. ix. 24. 
The enemy of souls will do all he can to keep "the upright " 
from praying ; and when he cannot succeed in that, he will strive 
to persuade them that their prayers were so cold and formal, and 
their minds so wandering, while in prayer, that God has not heard 
them ; and therefore, to expect an answer to them is altogether 
useless : Isa. xlix. 14. Do not be discouraged, though you may 
see much amiss in yourselves ; but remember, it is the sincerity 
of the heart, and not its wanderings, that God looks at, and is 
pleased with : Ps. xi. 7. Persevere, watch, and pray ; and you 
will shortly find to your comfort that God has heard your prayer, 
by his giving you a gracious answer, a fresh token of his favor, 
and abundantly blessing your soul : Ps. lxvi. 19. God has not 
only given you leave to pray, but a command to pray ; yea, and a 
heart to pray. And if you but live uprightly before him, you 
have nothing to fear while you can pray : Micah ii. 7. 

Your enemies, Christian, are all conquered ; though experience 
gives you daily proof they are not all dead. Fold not your hands ; 
you are still in the camp ; and the enemy watches every oppor- 
tunity to take all advantage : 1 Pet. v. 8. Guard against vain 
confidence in yourself ; have faith in God ; hope in him ; and 
pray to him ; for " the prayer of the upright is his delight." 
A prayerless soul is an unhappy soul ; because it is a Christless 
soul. Xone have free access to God. who live far from God; do 
you therefore live near to him; and cultivate an acquaintance 
with him ; Prov, xi. 20. 



TO SINCERITY AND UPRIGHTNESS. 209 

"Happy is he that condemn eth not himself in that thing which he alloweth." 
— Rom. xiv. 22. 

MEN, in general, have very weak eyes when they look upon 
their own faults ; but very strong ones when they look 
upon the failings of others : Matt. vii. 3. Some men are in the 
practice of doing what their judgment and conscience condemn 
them for doing; and they will even plead for the doing of it, 
either because it is customary, creditable, pleasurable, or prof- 
itable; while their own hearts tell them it is condemnable. 
" Happy is he that condemneth not himself" by exposing himself 
to the lashings, and upbraidings, of his own conscience ; by 
doing that which he knows is not lawful for him to do. " Happy 
is he," and he alone, who has the evidence within, that what he 
does well pleases God : 2 Cor. i. 12. If a man has not peace 
within, in vain does he seek it without ; and it is impossible for 
any man to have peace of conscience, who sins against conscience : 
1 John iii. 20. Every one ought to be fully persuaded in his 
own mind, that " that thing ivhich he alloiceth " is lawful for him 
to do ; for without such persuasion, to him it is sin : Bom. xiv. 
23. We should never suffer false shame, nor an unbridled appe- 
tite, to bring us to a base compliance in anything we believe to 
be wrong. 

The gospel requires us to be sincere, upright, and self-denying ; 
and whatever we do contrary to the gospel, must be sin : Heb. 
xi. 6. We nnM never try to offend men ; but ever try to please 
God ; and if men will be offended at us for doing what God com- 
mands, let them be offended. For whoever lives in the neglect 
of known duties, and in the practice of known iniquities, God 
will look upon as his enemies, and treat them as such. It is by 
the constant course and tenor of our life, that we may judge 
ourselves, and not by a single act. Wherever the Lord finds an 
upright man, he will be found an upright God. Serve the Lord 
with a clean heart, and then you will delight in his purr words : 
1 Pet. ii. 2. Make conscience of doing your duty, as far as you 
know it, towards God and man; lei your principles be fixed; 
and then your rule is certain, your way plain, and your sincerity 
will keep you steady, whatever wind may blow : l\s. xxv. 21. 



210 TO THE LOVE OF GOD. 

"He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them 
that love him" — Deut. vii. 9. 

QtIN" and Satan, with legions of lusts, are in the possession of 
O every unrenewed heart ; but the grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ implanted, and reigning in the heart, will subdue, pull 
down, and ultimately destroy them : Eom. vi. 14. But if we 
would obtain a full accomplishment of the promises of God, we 
must know by experience, that " He is our God ; " and that 
we dwell in him, and he in us : 1 John iv. 16. "He is God;" 
all other gods are but imaginary and deceitful ; and will not be 
able to afford us any help in time of need. The Christian's God 
is a "faithful God; " both able and willing to make good all his 
engagements ; and will answer all demands made upon him by 
them, agreeably to his promises : John xv. 7. " He keepeth cove- 
nant and mercy;" that is to say, he will make known to them 
his mercy, according to the covenant he has made. And lest 
any should presume on his mercy, it is stated to whom he will 
show it ; namely, " to them that love him : " Ps. xxxvii. 4. God 
is good to all, even to his enemies ; but he is never said to de- 
light in any but them that love him : Prov. viii. 17. It will be 
in vain for any one to hope to be benefited by his promises, who 
does not love him well enough to keep his commandments : John 
xv. 14. 

You have only to know that you love God ; and then you may 
make yourself perfectly easy about everything else. There are 
none who love not God, but those who know him not ; for who- 
ever knows him, sees it right that all should love him. Is it not 
right to love a Being to whom we are indebted for that very 
principle, which renders us capable of loving ? Ought we not 
to love a Being who possesses in himself every perfection ? Can 
love allure ? He so loved us, as to give his only begotten Son 
to die for us : 1 John iv. 9, 10. Can wisdom charm ? By his 
wisdom he founded the earth, and established the heavens : Prov. 
iii. 19. Can power awe us ? He is God Almighty : Gen. xxxv. 
11. Is it not right to love a Being whose approbation will secure 
to us all that is desirable in time and eternity ? Ps. lxxxiv. 11. 
To love God is advantageous in the highest degree. 



TO THE LOVE OF GOD. 211 

" If any man love God, the same is known of him." — 1 Cor. viii. 3. 

THOSE who are the greatest lovers of themselves, are the 
greatest enemies to themselves ; arid after ever learning, 
they die fools : 2 Tim. iii. 2-7. A man may know much of God, 
and yet not love Him : but all who truly love hira, are beloved of 
him. Love, like faith, is known by its fruits ; for, "If any man 
love God" he will keep his commandments : 2 John 6. A heart 
influenced by the love of God, will esteem, desire, and delight in 
God in Christ, as his chief good, and* sum of all perfection and 
excellence ; and take pleasure in obeying his laws ; and delight in 
holding spiritual fellowship with all who bear his image ; while 
he will do good unto all men ; even his enemies : 1 John iv. 20. 
Love to God renders its possessor patient under trouble, slow to 
anger, ready to forgive injuries ; teaches him to deny himself, to 
mourn over the afflictions of others, to bear with their infirmities ; 
makes a heaven below, and prepares for a heaven above : Gal. v. 
22-25. " If any man love God," he will, not only do others no 
harm, but will do them every possible good: 1 John iii. 17. 
They who love God, in the general, are little and unknown, 
among men ; but, let this comfort your heart, the Lord knoweth 
them : 2 Tim. ii. 19. No matter who he is, or what he is, " If 
any man love God, the same is known of Mm" He knows their 
ways and works : Ps. i. 6 ; He knows their hearts : Jer. xii. 3 ; 
He knows all their secret devotions : Matt. vi. 6 ; He knows their 
troubles, and how to deliver them : 2 Pet. ii. 9 ; He knoweth all 
them that love him ; and is a strong hold in the day of trouble 
unto them: Nahum i. 7. "If any man love God," he shall 
be taught of Him : John vi. 45. All who love the world, are 
strangers to the love of God : 1 John ii. 15 ; and consequently, 
are not " known of him," nor approved of by him. If you love 
God, it is an undeniable proof that He loves you : 1 John iv. 19. 
And though you may never be worth a crown in life, you are heir 
to a crown of life : 2 Tim. iv. 8. God often smiles, while his 
providence frowns : Gen. xlii. 36. You should never attempt to 
measure God's love to you by your love to him. " God is love;" 
even when you may feel emptied of love : 1 John iv. 16. 



212 TO THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 

"/ love them that love /we." — Prov. viii. 17. 
TTTHAT a pity it is, that men should love their sins, and say 

V V they love Christ, while in works they deny him ! Titus 
i. 16. Those who make religion their chief good, may depend 
upon having every good thing with their religion : Ps. xxxiv. 9. 
Christ is a believer's all ; and therefore, he loves Christ more 
than all : Phil. iii. 7, 8. Worldlings hate them that love Christ ; 
but that does not discourage them, since he declares, " I love them 
that love me" 0, Christian! under the heaviest of your afflic- 
tions, let this be the greatest of your consolations: your love 
is not lost ; neither ha3 the object of your love forgotten you. 
Suffer not unbelief, which is so injurious to Christ, and so per- 
nicious to you, to hide his love from you ; and never forget, that 
it was his love .to you drew your love to him : Hos. xi. 4. If 
you love him in sincerity, be assured of it, he loves you in reality. 
The love of some is like a painted fire ; it may look like it, but 
has no warmth in it. Many love for what they can get; but 
Christ loves for what he can give. 

Could the sun be hindered from rising, that could not prevent 
Christ, the Sun of righteousness, from rising and shining upon 
his lovers : Mai. iv. 2. You may sometimes be brought into 
doubts, and thick clouds may hide your Saviour from you for 
awhile ; and while you mourn his absence, you may be ready to 
conclude that you do not love him, or you could not feel so ; but 
that is only a temptation ; for if you did not love him, you would 
not long to see him. To a believer in Christ, there is nothing so 
desirable as Christ: for in possessing him, we possess all that 
is desirable in him : 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23. Beauty, bounty, riches, 
honors, peace, health, life, happiness, heaven, and every other 
good thing we have in Christ : Prov. viii. 18, 19. All the treas- 
ures of the East, the gold of the West, the pearls of the North, 
and the spices of the South, are altogether worthless, when com- 
pared with Christ. All, all that is lovely, centres in him. 
Christ possesses the glory of the Father, the holiness of Angels, 
the comeliness of Saints, the treasures of Heaven, the fulness of 
God: Col. ii. 9. "It pleased the Father that in him (Christ) 
should all fulness dwell : " Col. i. 19. 



TO THE LOVE OF CHRIST. 213 

11 He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and 
will manifest myself to him." — John xiv. 21. 

C HEIST lived to teach us how to live ; and died to teach us 
how to love. If we have the honor to be the disciples of 
Christ, we must labor to keep the commands of Christ ; it is not 
enough that we read them — hear them — know them — we are 
expected to do them : John xv. 14. Think, Christian, of the love- 
liness, the comeliness, the richness, the preciousness, the good- 
ness, the beauty, the majesty, the excellency of Christ ! and, 
then listen to his charming voice. "He that loveth me shall be 
loved of my Father" God will love him as a Father; .and Christ 
will love him as an elder brother. He shall have his Maker's 
love and his Saviour V love ; and both these loves are the comfort 
and crown, the grace and glory, of all that sincerely love the 
Lord Jesus Christ. ' Such is the great love the Father bears to 
the Son, that he loves all who love him : 2 Tim. iv. 8. Precious 
Saviour ! How he labors to gain our love ! He offers two loves 
for one ; " he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and / 
will love him;" and he shall have the fruit and benefit of my 
love; for " I will manifest myself to him;" so that he shall have 
a sense of my love. Christ manifests himself to those that love 
him, as he does not unto the world ; by enlightening their minds 
to know that he loves them ; by strengthening their graces, and 
brightening up their evidence of an interest in his love. He 
loves them so well, and is so tender of them, that every injury 
done to them seems to go to his heart : Acts ix. 4. 

Consider what the " Father " hath done in order to secure our 
love to his Son. He loved us when we were his enemies, and 
had no disposition to love him ; and gave full proof of his love 
towards us, in sending his Son to save us : 1 John iv. 10. Call 
to mind what Christ has done for us, and the great obligations he 
has laid us under to love him — bear in mind what he is still 
doing for us ; and then say, does he not deserve our love — our 
all? Christ's love extends to all them that love him; his love, 
like the suns rays, reaeheth East and West, North and South, on 
bond and free, rich and poor, high and low, He loves at all 
times, under all circumstances. 



214 TO TRUSTING IN GOD. 

" Trust ye in the Lord forever; for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting 
strength." — Isa. xxvi. 4. 

MAX ; born to trouble as the sparks fly upward, and sur- 
rounded with infirmity, finds his need of foreign help; 
but unhappily he seeks it where it is not to be found ; and re- 
poses on the creature. Attend, 

1st. To the exhortation given: "trust in the Lord forever " To 
trust in the Lord, is, to confidently expect that he will do for us, 
in time and in eternity, whatever he has promised in his word : 
Ps. lxii. 8. And it is the character and comfort of the people of 
God, that they endeavor at all times, and under all circumstances, 
to put their trust in the Lord ; so that whatever befalls them, or 
whoever threatens them, they are enabled to say, "Xone of these 
things move me : " Acts xx. 24. Whatever others may trust in, 
let it be your steady resolve to " trust in the Lord ; " for whoever 
will deal with him must do it on credit : Prov. xvi. 20. " Trust 
ye in the Lord forever;" in storms, and in calms; in adversity, 
and prosperity; in reproach, and in honor; in sickness, and 
health ; in life, and in death. Depend on his wisdom for direc- 
tion ; on his power for protection ; on his grace for salvation ; 
and that, not only when his providence smiles, but forever. Never 
put that confidence in yourself, nor any other creature, which 
should be placed in the Lord : Jer. xvii. 7, 8. 

2d. The encouragement offered ; •'•' in the Lord JEHOVAH is 
everlasting strength." Infinite are the blessings, and most precious 
the promises, that abound in the word of the Lord, to those who 
trust in him. There is a firm foundation laid for your faith, 
Christian, in him who was, and is, and is to come ; and having 
your house built upon him, a rock that can never be moved, you 
may rest in it securely, and smile at every storm : Matt. vii. 24. 
25. If you would trust in God truly, you must trust in him 
only : Xah. i. 7. In him, and from him, you will derive everlast- 
ing strength ; that will bear you up under all }^our trials, bring 
you through all your troubles, carry you through death, and set 
you down in everlasting life : Isa. lvii. 13. Sense opposes faith ; 
hence, the Lord is too frequently forgotten, and the mind remains 
troubled with distracting cares. 



TO TRUSTING IN GOD. 215 

" We trust that he will yet deliver us." —2 Cor. i. 10. 

YES ! and good cause we have for so doing ; for we have 
trusted in him so often, on former occasions, and having 
never found his promise once to fail us, we are encouraged to 
make another venture upon him : Ps. cxxv. 1. We have been in 
many straits ; bowed down with many cares ; perplexed with 
many difficulties ; surrounded with many dangers ; but He always 
delivered us ; and " we trust that he will yet deliver us : " Ps. lvi. 4. 
After having been brought through so many troubles, we should 
greatly reproach ourselves, were we to doubt his goodness in 
future troubles : Isa. xxv. 9. For surely past experience ought 
to encourage us to future dependence : Ps. xxvi. 1. He has been 
— he still is — and says he will be with us to the end: Matt, 
xxviii. 20. When our experience says, He has delivered — he 
does deliver — let our faith say, "We trust that he will yet 
deliver : " Ps. xxxiv. 8. All the strange, dark, deep, and change- 
able providences that believers meet with, are designed to lead 
them to trust in God, and shall further them in their way to 
heaven. Infinite wisdom and love so orders all things here 
below, that they now work for their real, internal, and eternal 
good : Eom. viii. 28. David met with many rugged providences ; 
and all contributed to bring him to the throne. Daniel and his 
three brethren met with some very uncomfortable providences : 
but they all led to their advancement. So every trying provi- 
dence that believers meet with in this life, being sanctified, shall 
be instrumental in raising their affections to heaven ; that they 
may live in the enjoyment of God. 

But it should ever be borne in mind, that none can be truly said 
to trust in God, who do not make use of all the means appointed 
by God; and then leave with him the event: Ps. xxxvii. 3. 
When troubles and afflictions befall you, always recollect that 
God designs neither to ruin nor destroy you ; but to do you good; 
and if you did not need them, he would never send them : Deut. 
viii. 2. You should always look at the latter end of your t roubles, 
and not at the beginning; for a Christian, like gold, shines 
brightest alter rubbing: J nines v. 11. "He wiUjet deliver us:" 
as surely as he hath delivered us. 



TO HOPING IN GOD. 

• /: is good that a man should both hope and quiet// wait for the sanation 
of the Lord." — Lam. ii; . 

EEAL religion is a living principle. A man may be called a 
ris&ian, and think himself very good, while he is not one ; 
so may a C hristianbe called a Deceiver, and be tempted to believe 
thai he is one. when he is not. God gives his children sorrow on 
earth, that he may lead them to a erown in heaven ; and a Chris- 
tian may as well try : rxamine the face of the moon while nnder 
an edij t as tc \::riapt to try L:^ own state while under tempta- 
tion: Heb. xii. 6. I: is good that a man should hope," 
hopes for that which is good; and the good that a believer in 
Jesus hopes for, surpass— every :her good: Ps. clvi J We 
hope for a kingdom : Luke xii. 32 ; and are sure that we shall 
novel be ashamed of our hope: Eom. v. 4 The rich trade of 
hope is carried on in the other world. Here we are despised and 
4ebased — there we shall be admired and exalted: Ps. xxxi. 19. 
••I: is ^ood that we hope;" because the good that we hope for 
is : our journey's end; and we have in hand an earnest of the 
hoped-for good : Eph. i. 13. u It is good that we hope ; n because 
it is possible to obtain the good hoped for; and the prop that 
supports our hope, is the unshaken word of that God whose mercy 
is infinitr. 

••I: is good" also, that we _~ -11 as hope, "forlhe 

tion of the LonJ. We must hope that the promised good 

will come, and wait till it does come : though it may appear to 

tarry long, and our trials be g reat, still we must not grow 

impatient, but u quick it its arrival: Isa. xxvi 3. Be not 

discouraged: the Lord will not leave :u to grapple with your 

conflicts alone; it is true, the flesh is weak; but Hope wa 

valiant in fight, and assures itself of certain vi : : : Heb. vi. 11. 

Call to mind what God has already done for you, and that will 

encourage your hope in all he has promised to do : Isa, xxx. 18. 

God at his word. Have you not found his word a guide to 

lead yoi; ; otam to support you; a cordiax to cheer you: 

MKDicnns to heal you: and food to strengthen you? Has not 

raid stood y u when friends have : : rsaken you ? and been 

your best friend in the worst of tim- 



TO HOPING IN GOD. 217 

" We are saved by hope." — Rom. viii. 24. 

HEAVEN in hope is worth more than the world in hand: 
Matt. xvi. 20. Our present salvation from sin, and its 
consequent guilt, is by grace through faith : Eph. ii. 8 ; and by 
faith our spiritual life is maintained : Rom. i. 17. But with 
regard to the future, " We are saved by hope;" we cannot hope 
for that which we already possess ; " for what a man seeth, why 
doth he yet hope for ? " Hope is a pleasing expectation of some- 
thing good. The Christian's hope is a firm expectation of the 
good things promised in the Scriptures of truth ; and is distin- 
guished from worldly hopes, 1st. By the excellency of its object, 
which is eternal : Col. i. 5. 2d. By the stability of its founda- 
tion ; God's eternal truth, unchangeable love, and almighty power : 
2 Tim. i. 12. 3d. By its purifying or cleansing nature : 1 John 
iii. 3. Our pleasant expectation of future glory is supported by 
hope : 1 Cor. xv. 19. What a blessed companion is hope ! It 
bears up our spirits under all kinds of sufferings ; carries us joy- 
fully through all our difficulties ; and points us to our journey's 
end, where pleasures immortal, and joys eternal, await us at 
God's right hand: Titus i. 2. "We are saved by hope;" for 
where there is a certainty of hope, there is also a certainty of 
salvation : Ps. cxlvi. 5. Hope and Faith are inseparable compan- 
ions, and are constantly talking about things not seen. Faith is 
the evidence, and Hope the expectation of those things : Heb. xi. 
1. A good God has promised good things, which Hope fastens 
upon as its object; but those who have no true faith have no such 
hope ; for hope is a daughter of faith : Eom. v. 1, 2. The be- 
liever in Christ, while in this world, has to suffer, labor, toil, and 
strive ; while hope comforts him by leading his expectations into 
the other world ; where sorrow, pain, and death can never enter : 
Rev. xxi. 4. All who have a good hope of glory, have Christ dwell- 
ing in them the hope of glory : Col. i. L'7. 

Cheer up, believer! and "hope thou in God, for thou shalt yet 
praise him:" Ps. xlii. 11. Live near to God; hang upon his 
promises; cleave to his truth ; hold last to his faithful word j 
never part with the truth; keep the TRUTH, and the truth will 
keep you. Hope in, and wait upon God continually. 



218 TO RESISTING TEMPTATION. 

" Whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered." — Prov. xxxviii. 26. 

WHATEYEB sin the heart of man is most prone to, that the 
devil will be most sure to help forward. If Judas is cov- 
etous, Satan will put him upon selling his Lord. He is careful 
to suit his temptations to our dispositions and circumstances ; but 
whatever might be his means, he has but one end; hence, when 
a soul is turning from him to God, he is more than ordinarily 
busy. But a man may as well attempt to count the drops of the 
sea, and number the sands of its shore, as reckon up all the de- 
vices of Satan ; but he is too skilful a pirate to attack an empty 
ship. All who are sainted are sure to be tempted ; and all who 
endure temptation are sure to be blessed : James i. 12. Eemem- 
ber, that the devil can go no farther than the length of his chain; 
and that whenever you are tempted to evil, it is not of God ; but 
it is the devil working upon your own sinful lusts and corrupt 
passions, to entice you to sin : James i. 13, 14. And all you have 
to do, is to keep off the devil's ground ; and resist his temptations 
in the strength of that grace which God supplies, and you " shall 
be delivered:'' Jas. iv. 7. When you are in straits, you will be 
tempted to distrust ; and when in trouble, to despair ; and his 
constant aim will be, if possible, to dash you to pieces on one or 
other of those fatal rocks, Presumption or Despair ; but let this 
not distress you ; for " whoso walketh vdsely. shall be delivered.'' 
See to it, that ye walk wisely ; and never put yourself in the 
way of temptation, by affecting wicked company, to keep wicked 
society. Satan has ruined thousands, by inducing them to asso- 
ciate themselves with foolish and vain persons. ••Have no fel- 
lowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove 
them : n Eph. v. 11. As a mariner would shun sands, rocks, and 
shelves, so should you shun the society of wicked men : Pro v. iv. 
11-16. Afflictions are called temptations; but there is no dan- 
ger of those harming you; therefore your wisest plan will ; be to 
submit to them: See Gen. xxii. 1, and Heb. xi. 17. When God 
tempts you, that is, tries you, it is a sure sign that he loves you : 
1 Pet. i. 7. But when Satan tempts, it is that he might devour : 
1 Pet. v. 8. While you walk wisely, you walk safely. 



TO RESISTING TEMPTATION. 219 

"He that endureth to the end shall be saved." — Matt. x. 22. 

CHRISTIANITY is not talking of Christ ; but walking after 
him. Christ has many to follow him in a calm, who fly 
from him in a storm. Trials, sore afflictions, and persecutions 
are called temptations; and some, in consequence of temptation, 
endure but for awhile ; and then leave Christ and his cause to 
shift for themselves : Luke viii. 13. Withered leaves soon fall 
off in windy weather ; so do dry professors in time of temptation. 
"But lie that endureth" temptation, as gold does the fire, shall 
lose nothing by it, but what the gold loses ; the dross. In the 
sorest of temptations, a believer has his consolations ; for he 
knows there will be an end to them ; and, that, "he that endureth 
to the end shall be saved : " Job iii. 17. And as they are not ever- 
lasting, they shall not be so very distressing, but what we # shall 
be able to bear them ; yea, and endure them to the end : 1 Cor. x. 
13. Prosperity is more to be dreaded than adversity. 

A tempted condition is never a pleasant one, but always a prof- 
itable one, if we endure it to the end: Heb. xii. 11. Christ was 
tempted, and knows well how to succor those who are tempted : 
Heb. ii. 9-18. Never yield to temptation when it comes from 
the enemy ; but boldly resist the temptation, whatever might be 
its name or nature ; and you " shall be saved " from the power 
of your adversary ; while others are taken captive by him at his 
will : 2 Tim. ii. 26. It is a blessed thing to endure what we 
cannot cure: James i. 12. Temptations to sin are not evils, 
unless we are overcome by them ; no matter how evil the thought 
may be that enters the mind, it is not sin till it is indulged ; then, 
mid not till then, it becomes a sinful thought ; and, if not resisted, 
it grows to a sinful desire ; and that desire, without resistance, 
would become actual transgression the first favorable opportunity. 
Be not discouraged; fly to the Lord for refuge. He will strengthen 
you in the conflict; and when the enemy conies upon you like 
a flood, he will not Buffer you to be borne awav ; but will lift up 
a standard against him: Lsa. lix. 1 ( .). The more profitable and 
more pleasing .sin might be presented, the more vigorous must 
be your resistance against it. 



220 TO THE FEAK OF GOD. 

"It shall be well with them that fear God" — Eccl. viii. 12. 

SOME men use spectacles to behold other men's sins, rather 
than looking-glasses to behold their own crimes ; and can 
more readily see a mote in the eye of another, than a beam in 
their own : Matt. vii. 3. But all is not well that looks well ; 
neither is all ill that looks ill. A man may look like a bright 
saint, and be a great sinner. Many who spend their days joy- 
fully, end them miserably. Outward circumstances are not 
always good evidences : Heb. xii. 6. The fear of God is here 
put for the whole of religion ; and is the same as the love of God 
under the Gospel : Matt. xxii. 37. A man who truly fears God 
does not dread him ; but loves him so well that he is afraid to 
sin against him : Gen. xxxix. 9. 

"It shall be ivell with them that fear God; " it ever has been, and 
must continue to be well with them ; for God was never displeased 
with anything but sin ; and they having forsook sin, have no evil 
to fear. The fear of God inspires its possessor with confidence 
in God, in poverty : Ps. xxxvii. 3 ; firmness of mind, in sickness : 
Ps. xli. 3 ; courage, in time of danger : Acts xx. 24 ; and with a 
holy assurance, in the time of temptation: 1 Cor. x. 13. Under 
every circumstance, and in every condition, living or dying, it 
must, yea, " it shall, be well with them that fear God : " Isa. iii. 
10. Those who fear God are such as have believed the record 
given of the Son of God : 1 John v. 10, 11 ; all such are born of 
God : John i. 12, 13 ; and are the sons of God : 1 John iii. 1, 2. 
Sin makes a man a cow ard ; but the fear of the Lord inspires him 
with courage : Pro v. xxviii. 1. 

Pear God, by cherishing suitable and requisite dispositions of 
heart towards him, as contrition on account of past sins : Ps. 
xxxviii. 18 ; confidence in his unbounded mercy : Ps. xxxiii. 22 ; 
and a grateful recollection of his manifold benefits : Ps. xlviii. 
1-14. Consecrate yourself to him : 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20 ; let him 
have all your influence in your family : Josh. xxiv. 15 ; and 
among all your connexions : Ps. xxxiv. 4, 8. In doing this, strive 
to promote the interests of Christ's kingdom : Ps. cxxii. 6 ; and 
cheerfully serve mankind for God's sake. Do all the good you 
can, but never trust in your good doings. 



TO THE FEAR OF GOD. 221 

"In every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness, is accepted 
with him." — Acts x. 35. 

OUTWARDLY devout and openly profane, are all upon a level 
before God, in point of justification : Ps. cxliii. 2. To hate 
God and work wickedness is the natural state and practice of all 
men : Rom. viii. 7. As it is written, " There is none righteous, 
no, not one : " Rom. iii. 10. But God hath made us accepted in 
the Beloved; in whom we have redemption through his blood, 
the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace : Eph. 
i. 6, 7. And, "in every nation" kindred, and people, "he that 
feareth him" that is, loveth and serveth him, " and worketh right- 
eousness" be he who or what he may, "is accepted with him" 
Our "fearing God and working righteousness" is not the cause, 
but the fruit of our acceptance ; and evinces that we are accepted 
with him: Matt. vii. 17. Blessed, right blessed, are they who 
fear the Lord ; all such have received the Lord Jesus and walk 
in him. The Christian puts on the Lord Jesus Christ as his 
righteousness, holiness, and redemption ; he needs no more ; yet 
he constantly wishes for more ; he desires to be with and like 
unto his God; and he ardently wishes that every individual 
member of Christ's body were now saved from sin. By walking 
in the " fear of God " our Saviour, having daily fellowship with 
him, we become more and more like unto him. By close walking, 
constant communing, and freely conversing with God, love is 
maintained in our hearts ; and, by virtue of which, Ave are enabled 
to bring forth the fruits of " righteousness" To fear God, we 
must hate sin, and every road that leads to it. 

All who live godly are expected to live neighborly : Matt. xxii. 
37-40 ; for " fearing God and working righteousness," must never 
be separated : 1 John iv. 20, 21. It is not enough that a man 
say he fears God ; for God will not accept of words without deeds. 
Neither will it suffice that we injure none, without doing good 
unto all: Matt. vii. 12. If God accepts us, it can matter but 
little who rejects us. And being united to his Son, he accepts 
of us in and through him ; and in him we have our title to all the 
blessings of this life, and that which is to come. Your soul's 
happiness lies in union with God. 



222 TG WATCHFULNESS. 

" Happy is the man that feareth alway." — Pro v. xxviii. 14. 

A CHILD that is constantly afraid of falling walks cautiously. 
Let no one think that man happy who never fears ; for 
none are truly happy but they who are truly holy ; and they are 
always afraid of becoming otherwise ; hence, they retain their 
holiness, the true spring of happiness. 

" Hajypy is the man" whoever or whatever he might be, "that 
feareth alway:" that stands in holy awe and sins not; that 
reverences the glory, goodness, and authority of God, and " fear- 
eth alway " to do that which would offend him : Ps. cxliv. 15. 
Those who would not fall into sin, or be overtaken by sin, must 
watch against it : Matt. xxvi. 41. " Happy is the man w who 
fears, not only evil, but also, the very appearance of evil; and 
who, from a sense of his own weakness, watches narrowly and 
constantly his own heart; and "feareth" to trust to his own 
strength : Ps. cxlvi. 5. " Happy is the man " who fears sinning 
more than suffering ; and in the time of a calm looks out for a 
storm ; and is never found sleeping when he ought to be watch- 
ing : Mark xiv. 38. When you grow weary of watching, you 
should shake it off by praying. Watch constantly ; keep the 
door of your heart carefully ; and never suffer an enemy to harbor 
there; for that one may kill you or let in others that would: 
Prov. iv. 23. Look through your telescope of faith ; and you 
will be able to discover your enemies at a great distance. When 
anything is out of order, get it repaired immediately : 1 John ii. 1. 
Improve every opportunity for praying, as well as watching ; 
and after prayer watch for an answer : Luke xii. 37, 38. Have 
a constant watch oyer your eyes, your ears, your tongue, your 
heart. Watch against every evil, and for every opportunity to 
do good. Let your heart be fixed upon Christ, and that will cool 
your affection for the world, and kindle up love to God. Let 
your eye be much upon self, and that will keep you humble ; and 
always upon Christ and that will make you happy. Keep a nar- 
row watch over your own heart, and frequently bring it to a close 
account : Ps. iv. 4. David prayed for a watch to be set over the 
door of his lips ; and it may be, that if you had one placed there 
it would do no harm : Ps. cxli. 3. 



TO WATCHFULNESS. 223 

11 Blessed is he that watcheth." — Rev. xvi. 15. 

WATCHFULNESS comprehends the whole care of a Chris- 
tian life. There is no duty enjoined, nor anything pro- 
hibited by God, but what is for the good of man. It is made our 
duty and privilege to watch : 

First, To prevent evil. 1st. We must watch against sin. The 
corrupt inclination of our fallen nature, which is called " sin that 
dwelleth in us," is a constant stimulus to the actual commission 
of crime ; and the objects around us may prove unhappy occa- 
sions of sin to us, without watchfulness : Prov. iv. 23. 2d. We 
must guard against the world. The things of the world are so 
suitable to our corrupt passions and appetites, that, if off our 
guard, they will find way into our hearts and affections. The 
world smiles, and betrays ; kisses, and kills ; and there are a 
thousand-fold more dangers from its smiles, than its frowns. 
Our best defence is to watch against the world, and sin in the 
heart ; for Satan can never harm us without our consent : 1 Cor. 
vii. 29-31. 3d. We must watch against the temptations of the 
devil. He is an avowed enemy to all the human family ; and is 
strong, cunning, cruel, and industrious : 1 Pet. v. 8. And though 
he cannot force, he can work upon our natural lusts, and entice : 
James i. 14. These foes are combined, and must be sharply 
looked after. 

Secondly. We must watch to do good. 1st. We must improve 
all our talents wisely and faithfully, in the discharge of every 
duty we owe to God, our neighbors, and ourselves : Matt. xxii. 
37-39. 2d. We must watch for proper seasons to do good. We 
may say of a work done, as well as a word spoken in due season, 
" How good is it ! " The matter of an action may be good while 
the beauty of it is lost, through not being well-timed : Eccl. iii. 1. 
And, 3d We must watch to do good in the manner appointed. 
We must do all in tin 4 name of the Lord Jesus, having an eye 
single to his glory: Col. iii. 17. "Blessed is he thai watcheth." 
Mark that I Blessed is he, not blessed shall he be. No:* it is ix 
our watching we have the blessing; not for the deed, but in the 
deed : l's. xix. 11. Constant watchfulness will prove a safeguard 
against every snare and temptation. Let us watch constantly 
and pray fervently. 



224 TO PHAYER. 

" Who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things 
that we call upon him for?" — Deut. iv. 7. 

WE are poor, indigent, necessitous creatures, full of wants; 
and God alone is sufficient and willing to supply the 
whole. There are many blessings common to, and enjoyed by 
all, without even asking for : Matt. v. 45. But there are others 
which can only be obtained by those who ask for them : Ezek. 
xxxvi. 37. All men are under the influence of one spirit or 
another ; real believers are influenced by the Spirit of Christ ; 
and all unbelievers are under the influence of the spirit of anti- 
christ. It has been made the duty and privilege of all to pray ; 
and certainly the Almighty Father of our mercies would never 
impose a duty upon his poor creatures they were unable to per- 
form. " Is any among you afflicted ? let him pray : " James v. 13. 
A man who is really afflicted in the want of anything, can 
always find language to ask a superior for it, if he has but a hope 
of obtaining it. It may frequently happen, we may know not 
tchat to pray for ; and there may be but few who know how to 
pray as the hypocrites do : Matt. vi. 5-7. But who is there can- 
not find eloquence sufficient for the Publican's prayer ? " God 
be merciful to me a sinner ! " The dying thief prayed, " Lord, 
remember me ! " David prayed, " Lord, pardon mine iniquity, for 
it is great ! " The Canaanitish woman prayed, " Have mercy upon 
me, Lord, thou Son of David ! " All these received answers to 
their prayers ; and so have all others who have ever prayed in 
the same frame of mind. Christians cannot live without prayer ; 
and good reason they have to pray. " WJw hath God so nigh 
unto them t" — no nation, or people. No people are so highly 
honored ; for " the Lord " is not ashamed to be called their God : 
Heb. xi. 16. The Lord is, not only, nigh them, but round about 
them : Zech. ii. 5 ; and a very present help in the midst of them : 
Ps. xlvi. 1-5. This is an honor peculiar to praying people ; He 
is always " nigh unto them ; " and they have the honor to draw 
nigh unto him : Heb. vii. 19. It is our privilege to call upon him 
on all occasions, and under all circumstances, and to consult him 
in all things ; knowing, that " the Lord our God " will prove him 
self & faithful God. 



TO PRAYER. 225 

" If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, 
and it shall be done unto you." — John xv. 7. 

^VTUMEROUS and great are the blessings enjoyed by those 
-i-N who embrace the promises, and live up to the precepts of 
the Gospel. The genuine believer ceases from himself ; denies 
himself ; lives no longer to himself ; and lives by faith ; seeing 
what, to the eye of sense, is invisible. The branch cannot live 
if it be separated from the vine 5 and as we are equally dependent 
on Jesus, the true Vine, for our spiritual life, it is of the utmost 
importance that we remain in him by faith. 

" If ye abide in me" says the living Vine, from whom you 
derive your sap, life, strength, vigor, and on whom you must 
hang in order to be fruitful, " and my words abide in you" ye 
shall neither become withered nor unfruitful : Ver. 4, 0. Christ 
is set before us, and offered to us, in his word; it is in the word 
that we receive him, and by faith embrace him : Rom. x. 6-8. It 
is only when we live in the exercise of faith in his word, that his 
"words abide in us;" for where his words live there he lives. 
If his words are in us, to rule, he will live in us, to bless. " And 
ye shall ask what ye will" agreeably to those words of his which 
abide in you, and as sure as it is promised, " it shall be done unto 
you : " John xiv. 13, 14. Than this, we need nothing more ; and 
should desire nothing less ; for we have only to ask and have : 
Vs. cxlv. 18, 19. You need never be at a loss for language when 
you approach the throne of grace, so long as Christ's words abide 
in you; for you have only to turn his promises into prayers; 
and such prayers, offered up in faith, must prevail : Matt. xxi. 
22. To prove successful in prayer, you must take nothing with 
you but Christ and your needs ; for anything else will kill faith ; 
and then you cannot please God: Heb. xi. 0. Your duties, privi- 
leges, graces, humblings, and obedience, with all things else that 
are yours, must all be laid low, and Christ alone held up; and 
then, " ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto yon." Thou 
shall make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee: Job 
xxii. 27. Never was a distressed soul more willing to be relieved, 

than God is to answer prayer. 



226 TO PBAYER. 

"They shall call on my name, and I will hear them ; I will say, It is my 
people ; and they shall say, The Lord is my God." — Zech. xiii. 9. 

EVERY event that befalls the Israel of God, is overruled by 
the God of Israel. He has an eye over, and a hand in, all 
their concerns; and though he may lead them all through the 
fire, he takes care to leave none in it : Isa. xliii. 2. Though they 
are called to be sufferers, they are more than conquerors : Kom. 
viii. 37. Their troubles on the way to heaven, only tend to 
promote their intercourse with heaven. 

" They shall call on my name" even when they may have no 
one else to call upon, in the worst of times ; for I will give them 
both the will and the power so to do : Phil. ii. 13. Neither shall 
they call on me in vain; for " I ivill hear them." Let who will 
forsake them, " I will not turn away from them, to do them 
good : " Jer. xxxii. 40. When every other door is shut, the door 
of mercy is open; and when they have no earthly friend on 
whom they may call, they can call upon God, and welcome ; with 
the comfortable assurance that he u will hear them;" yea, and 
answer them too : Ps. 1. 15. The loving Father's promise is the 
beloved children's portion. "It is I," saith the blessed Jesus, 
to his afflicted disciples, " be not afraid." No matter who dis- 
owns and casts them off, the Lord, who hates putting away, 
declares, " i" will say, It is my people" whom I have loved and 
chosen, that have called on me ; and I will let them know that 
I hear them, by sending a speedy answer, testifying that they 
are " my people : " Ps. xxxiv. 15. And such will be their joy 
on hearing from Home, and learning that their prayer is an- 
SAvered, they will, all as one, say, " The Lord is my God." So 
gracious souls reply in faith, with Thomas, my Lord, and my 
God! 

Never was a tender mother's ear more attentive to the cry of 
her tender offspring, than our heavenly Father is to the cries 
of his dear children. While you can say, " The Lord is my God," 
what have you to fear ? Men and angels owe their happiness 
to those important words. How rich the love of God ! it is 
unchangeably good. How transcendent the love of Jesus ! it 
passeth knowledge. A soul without prayer, is like a body with- 
out a soul. 




'They shall call on ray aame, and I will hear them." — Page 226, 



TO PRAYER. 227 

"Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you." — James iv. 8. 

TO praise God for mercies, is the way to increase them ; and 
to bless him for miseries, is the way to remove them. There 
is nothing can harm you, Christian, but sin; and there is nothing 
can save you but Christ. When God created man he placed him 
near to him ; but when man sinned, he fell far from him : Eccl. vii. 
29. All natural evil is the effect of moral evil ; as all evil owes 
its origin to sin. Sin turned the heart of man to enmity against 
God : Kom. viii. 7 ; blocked up the way to heaven, and opened the 
gates of death : Rom. v. 12. But none need despair ; for " God 
was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself ; not imputing 
unto them their trespasses : " 2 Cor. v. 19. And he "hath recon- 
ciled us to himself," through Jesus Christ, having laid upon him 
the iniquity of us all : Isa. liii. 6. So that, what we lost in the 
first Adam, has been redeemed by the second Adam; who is 
the "Lord from heaven:" 1 Cor. xv. 4, 7. Though all men, by 
nature, are spiritually dead, "he that believeth on the Son of 
God hath life; and by faith he retaineth that life:" John iii. 
18, 36. 

It is now your duty and privilege to " draw nigh to God" by 
Jesus Christ, with all that confidence in which a dutiful child 
would approach a kind and indulgent father. God is well pleased 
with you in his Son ; who has settled all disputes ; paid your 
debts ; mended the breach ; and purchased salvation for you : 
Rom. viii. 34. It matters not how you are debased; your 
heavenly Father is only waiting to see your return : throw your- 
self at his feet, and you shall soon enjoy a sense of his favor : 
Matt, xxiii. 12. Say not that your case is hopeless, in consequence 
of having wandered so far ; for the farther you are off, the sooner 
you ought to return : Hos. xiv. 2. It is your privilege to " draw 
nigh to God;" for though sin blocked up the old way, Christ has 
opened a new way unto him: Heb. x. 19, 20. "Draw nigh to 
God" in faithful, fervent prayer, in a way of duty; and "he will 
draw nigh to you" in a way of mercy : Mai. iii. 7. Venture now 
— he will help you — you may be faint, but he will revive you : 
Isa. lvii. 15. To be saved by him, you have only to draw nigh 
unto him : Heb. vii. 25. 



228 TO SEEKING GOD. 

41 Seek ye me, and ye shall live. " — Amos v. 4. 

THEKE can be no readier way for a man to lose himself, than 
to seek himself. A man who seeks himself is a slave to him- 
self, and of no good to others ; neither is there any vice that self- 
seeking will not lead a man to. It led Gehazi to lying ; Baalim 
to cursing; and Absalom to seek the ruin of his father; it led 
the Pharisees to oppose Christ ; Judas to betray him ; and Pilate 
to condemn him. Neither can any man become a disciple of 
Christ so long as he seeks himself: Matt. xvi. 24. Sad experi- 
ence teaches us, that we never gained any good by seeking self ; 
it may be, too, that you need not go from home in order to prove 
the sad effects of turning the back upon God, and seeking happi- 
ness in the creature. But be not discouraged ; for after all that 
thou hast done, though thou may est long have gratified thy sinful 
and corrupt passions and appetites, the God whom thou hast so 
long slighted, still calls after thee, and says, 

1st. " Seek ye me I " Do be advised by him : Isa. lv. 6. Seek 
to him ; inquire of him ; and ask him what he would have you 
to do. Whatever others may seek, seek ye him : Deut. iv. 29. 
"Seek ye him," as your only happiness, your portion, and your 
all; and never give up seeking till you have found him: Ps. 
lxxiii. 25. " Seek ye " him without delay. He is already recon- 
ciled to you; and is desirous you should become reconciled to 
him ; that you might be happy in him, and enjoy his forgiving 
love : Ps. lxx. 4. Seek him according to the directions he has 
given you ; make use of Christ as your only way : John xiv. 6 ; 
the Holy Spirit as your infallible Guide : John xvi. 13 ; and his 
word as your unerring rule : John v. 39. 

2d. "And ye shall live." The Law has declared you cursed; 
but Christ hath redeemed you from the curse of the law ; having 
been made a curse for you : Gal. iii. 10-13. Jesus hung on the 
accursed tree with all your guilt, and sin, and shame, in his 
naked, exposed body; and died that you might live. He was 
wounded — bled — bruised — striped — died and rose for us: Isa. 
liii. 4-6 ; Eom. iv. 25. And now he intercedes for us : 1 John 
ii. 1. In Christ is eternal life ; and by receiving him, you obtain 
that life which is in him : 1 John v. 11, 12. 



TO SEEKING GOD. 229 

*' He that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder 
of them that diligently seek him. " — Heb. xi. 6. 

THE sacred Scriptures describe all mankind as sheep going 
astray from the true Shepherd and Bishop of souls : Isa. lii. 
6. And, what is very remarkable, though every one turns his 
" own way" no one's way ever led him back to God ; but, on the 
contrary, men choose rather to stray farther from him ; straying 
on the mountains of vanity and error, till they are compelled by 
hunger to think about returning : Luke xv. 17, 18. " He that 
cometh to God" that is, hath access to his grace and favor, or 
would worship him acceptably, "must believe that he is; " not only 
that there is a God, but that he is such an one as the Scriptures 
represent him : our Creator : Ps. c. 3 ; Preserver and Kedeemer : 
Isa. xlv. 21-25. " That he is " the Maker, Upholder, and Lord 
of all ; the one from whom all other creatures derive their being ; 
and on whom they continually depend : Isa. xl. 15, 22. 

Observe the nature of the faith required on coming to God. 
1st. It looks to the promises of God; though seen afar off, it 
brings an assurance of them into the mind; and removes all 
doubt as to their fulfilment : Eom. iv. 20, 21. 2d. It relies upon 
Christ; "for in him all the promises of God are yea, and in 
him Amen : " 2 Cor. i. 20. 3d. It gives us to know that this 
world is not our home ; that here we are strangers and foreigners ; 
having no continuing city: Heb. xi. 13. 4th. By faith, with 
Abraham, we see the day of Christ, and are made glad ; we see 
his second coming to receive us all to himself : John xiv. 3. And, 
5th. Faith realizes heaven and endless blessedness to the soul ; it 
has Hope for its constant attendant; and Faith and Hope beget 
Love, to him who "is the rewarder of all them that diligently seek 
him." He that believes God to be the Father and Friend of all 
penitent, believing souls: 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18; and diligently seeks 
him, shall assuredly find him the "rewarder" of such: Isa. 
xlv. 19. 

Seek him without delay ; be not afraid of consequences ; they 
belong to God; and whatever you might be called to lose, in con- 
sequence of seeking liini, shall he more than made up by him. Be 
sober; and watch unto prayer. 



230 TO DESIRE OF GRACE. 

"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no 
money ; come ye, buy, and eat, yea, come, buy wine and milk without money 
and without price. ' ' — Isa. It. 1. 

LET every one who hath ears make use of them ; and listen to 
the gracious invitation here given. 

Consider. 1st. Who are invited; -Ho. every one; 99 not the 
Jews only : Acts xiii. 46 ; 47: Jews and Gentiles : high and low; 
!>ond and free ; rich and poor ; great and small ; learned and un- 
learned; Oyes ! Oyes!! Oyes!!! "Every one:' old and young. 
2d. The necessary qualification, in order to insure a hearty wel- 
come. "Every one thai thirsteth." Not those who see no need of 
Christ and his righteousness : ^Matt. ix. 12. They must be thirsty. 
and then they are welcome. 3d. TVhither they are invited ; " To 
the '.voters." To the ports, quays, and wharves, where foreign 
commodities are brought. To Christ, without whom all the bless- 
now to be enjoyed, through the Gospel, would have been 
foreign to us. Come to Christ and be cleansed : Zech. xiii. 1. 
Come to his ordinances and be fed: Ps. xlvi. 4. Come and be 
refreshed: John vii. 37. 4th. What they are invited to do; 
"Come — buy — and eat." IMake it your own on Christ's terms. 
Come ! make no delay ; here is a free invitation and a hearty wel- 
come. Buy it on Gospel terms ; part with all rather than not 
obtain it : Pro v. xxiii. 23 ; and make sure of it by eating it : John 
iv. 34. Make no excuse, oth. What is the provision they are 
invited to; " Wine and milk." Wine will not only quench the 
thirst, but nourish and revive you. Wine, the generous, heart- 
reviving comforts, brought in the Gospel; pardon of sin, and 
peace with God. through our Lord Jesus Christ : Eph. i. 7. 
"And milk." the soul-nourishing doctrines of the gospel of 
Christ : 1 Pet. ii. 2. Buy. without delay, this precious milk, and 
heart-cheering wine, that you may recover your strength. Drink 
no longer of puddled waters. 6th. The free communication of 
this provision; " Buy without money, and without price:' This 
is a strange way ; but it is God's way ; and not ours : Piev. iii. 
17. 18. 

The things offered are already paid for ; and to their full value : 
1 Pet. i. IS. 19. You have only to "come" and receive them on 
Gospel terms; " without money, and without price." 



TO DESIRE OF GRACE. 231 

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness : for they 
shall be filled. ' ' — Matt. v. 6. 

TO have a desire for that which is good, is an evidence of 
something good, and an earnest of something better : Ps. 
cxlv. 19. To thirst after happiness is natural ; it is also natural 
to seek it from wrong objects. " Blessed are they " who are pant- 
ing, pining* and thirsting after Christ and his righteousness : Ps. 
xxiv. 5. It is not a cold, formal wish, that will secure the bless- 
ing ; but a desire like that which a hungry man has for bread ; or 
a thirsty one for water. Christ, the Captain of our salvation, has 
brought in an everlasting righteousness ; and " blessed are they," 
blessed now, who desire to obtain that spiritual food to sustain 
the soul, and drink to refresh it. Every good desire is a plant of 
God's own raising ; and every desire after righteousness shall be 
fed, watered, and satisfied. " They shall be filled " with those 
blessings they so ardently desire : Ps. cvii. 9. A soul that is 
quickened can no more live without its regular meals of " right- 
eousness " than the body can without meat and drink : Ps. lxiii. 1. 
The soul requires daily-grace, as much as the body does daily- 
bread, to enable it to perform its daily-duty. There are those 
who pant after dust, but will never be satisfied ; for it is God 
alone can satisfy the cravings of an immortal soul : Amos ii. 7. 

Blessed are they who know their own emptiness, and believe 
in Christ's fulness ; u for they shall be filled w with all the blessings 
of Jesus' everlasting righteousness; acceptance with God, and 
peace from God ; filled with all the fruits of righteousness ; with 
all the graces of the Spirit on earth, and all the glory of God in 
heaven : Ps. lxv. 4. Say, Christian, are you panting after Jesus ? 
Do you see the perfection of his atonement, and the glory of his 
righteousness ? Is the triumph of his cross, and the victory of 
his death, the foundation of your faith, and the support of your 
hope ? If so, " blessed are ye:" for these are the love-tokens that 
Jesus bestows. 0, the delightful intercourse, that subsists be- 
tween hungry souls and righteous Jesus ! Whatever would, or 
could, have kept poor, hungering, and thirsting souls from faint- 
ing, if Jesus had not pronounced them blessed'/ It is truly a 
happy hunger. 



232 TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AXD CHEIST. 

" I will set him on high, because he hath known my name." — Ts. xci. 14. 

DUTY can never have too much of our vigilance, nor too little 
of our confidence. The true source of comfort, and spring 
of obedience, is a knowledge of God. A knowledge of God's love 
to us in Christ, received into the heart by faith, animates us to 
be, and to do, what the Lord requires in our lives. To know the 
name of God, is to know that by which he has made himself 
known to us ; as his Justice, ^lercy, Goodness, Love, Truth, &c. 
The promises of God are made over, in Christ Jesus, to all such 
as know the name of God : 2 Cor. i. 20. And all who know him 
are sure to love him, and therefore obey him ; for there are none 
who love him not, but those who know him not : Jer. v. 4. 

A good man need fear no evil ; for though he be brought low, 
God will raise him up. u I icill set him on high; " above the world, 
and the things of the world. ZSTeither men nor devils shall tram- 
ple upon him ; for he is an acquaintance of mine : Eom. xvi. 20. 
The Lord knows them that know him ; has a tender regard for, 
and will take good care of them : Isa. xxvi. 3. If God has given 
you a heart to know him, it is a sure sign that he has good in re- 
serve for you : Jer. xxiv. 7. Every one who returns to God, is 
brought to a saving acquaintance with him ; and he is so well 
pleased with him, that he declares, " I will set him on high be- 
cause he hath known my name/' 7 Xo man can know the nature 
of God ; but all may know his name. Those who know the name 
of God, are known, 1st. By their calling upon his name : Zech. 
xiii. 9. 2d. By preferring him to everything else they have any 
knowledge of : Ps. lxxiii. 25. 3d. By putting their trust in him : 
Ps. ix. 10. Whatever you may be ignorant of beside, be sure you 
obtain a correct knowledge of God : John xvii. 3. Search for it ; 
cry after it ; dig deep for it ; and you shall obtain it : Prov. ii. 
3-9. Our happiness, here and hereafter, depends on a knowledge 
of God, and intercourse with him : 2 Pet. i. 2, 3. Lift up your 
heart to your Father, God — your brother, Jesus — in faithful, 
fervent prayer ; and whatever you ask agreeably to the word of 
truth is yours : John xiv. 13, 14. 



TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD AND CHRIST. 233 

" This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and 
Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. " — John xvii. 3. 

WE should always try the sayings of men by the sayings of 
God ; or we shall know no more of God than what men 
say of him : Acts xvii. 11. The beginning, increase, and perfec- 
tion of eternal life, lies in a knowledge of God in Christ : Titus 
ii. 13, 14. God gave us our being ; in him we have life and well- 
being : Acts xvii. 28. But in order to have eternal life, we must 
have a knowledge of God in Jesus Christ : 1 John v. 11. When 
we are brought into union with Christ, we have communion with 
God; and "this is life eternal" in the bud; and those who reject 
Christ, reject eternal life ; for we can never know God without an 
acquaintance with Christ : John iii. 36. ••' All we like sheep n 
have strayed from God; Christ died to bring us back to the 
Author of our being, from whom we have wandered ; and redeem 
all those blessings we had forfeited by our wandering : Isa. liii. 
6 ; and has made it our duty to love, obey, and trust in him. as 
our chief good ; acknowledge him in all our ways, and do all 
things to his glory, as "the only true God" in opposition to every 
false God : 1 Cor. x. 31. 

Had we never have sinned, a knowledge of God would have been 
"life eternal" to us ; but in consequence of our becoming guilty 
rebels before him, we can have no access to God, but through 
"Jesus Christ ;" who is the only way, and the truth, and the life : 
John xiv. 6. We must realize an interest in the Saviour's death ; 
obtain a knowledge of him as our Eedeemer ; and possess an evi- 
dence of being saved by his life ; in order to enjoy " life eternal : n 
Bom. v. 10. It is not said, that a knowledge of God, and Jesus 
Christ, leads to "life eternal ; " nor, that "life eternal " shall fol- 
low that knowledge ; no ; but it expressly says, u This is life 
eternal;" it has already commenced ; the reign of grace has al- 
ready begun; and will be made perfect in glory: PML i. 6. A 
true. Baving-knowledge of God in Christ in the heart, ever dis- 
covers itself by a holy, loving, and obedient life. The new-born 
soul draws all his comfort, peace, and joy. from this never-fail- 
ing source of consolation ; hence arises his love to (Sod and de- 
light in li i in. 



234 TO HEARING AND READING THE WORD. 

" Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." — Ps. cxix. 
105. 

WE owe the life of our souls to the death of the Saviour. 
But for the light of the world, we had all been in dark- 
ness : John viii. 12. The word of God is a lamp and light; it dis- 
covers manifold mysteries ; it directs men's course, and comforts 
their hearts amidst the darkness of this world ; it reveals to us 
things divine and eternal, and guides us to glory and happiness : 
Matt. iv. 16. Without the word of god, man would be left upon 
a boundless ocean, stormy and dark, without either compass, 
quadrant, or chart ; gulphed in obscurity, with not a gleam of 
light to tell him where his brittle bark would strike. But God, 
who is rich in mercy, has not left us in this deplorable condition ; 
the Sun of righteousness has arisen to enlighten our way across 
the sea of life ; to cheer the darkness that surrounds us, and point 
to the port of Heaven. 

" Thy word is a lamp unto my feet." It discovers that which 
concerns us most ; and what we should never have known with- 
out it. It warns us of the duties we are to perform, and the dan- 
gers we are to avoid: Ps. xix. 11. It guides our eyes, and directs 
our feet, all through the path of life to endless life : Pro v. vi. 
23. It is u a light to our path; " a lamp trimmed with the Spirit ; 
constantly burning ; and no storms can put it out : Ps. cxix. 89. 
It informs us how all things were made — how man fell from his 
original happiness ; forfeited the favor of God ; and brought him- 
self, with all his posterity, under the curse of a broken law : 
Bom. v. 12. It illuminates the dreary dungeon of man, by un- 
folding to his view the plan of Redemption : Gen. iii. 15. But it 
should ever be remembered, a lamp will do us no good unless we 
make use of it. The word of God must be used ; not only to 
please our eyes and ears, but as a " light to our path ; " to en- 
lighten our understanding, and direct us through this world to 
that which is to come : Ps. cxix. 130. God intended, when he 
gave us this wonderful " lamp" that we should constantly walk 
by the " light " of it ; and look well to our steps : Isa. ii. 3. The 
Bible should be our constant study, our daily companion, and 
oracle. 



TO HEARING AND READING THE WORD. 235 

14 Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. " — Rom. x. 17. 

IT is of the utmost importance that we have faith ; for without 
faith it is impossible to please God: Heb. xi. 6. Observe, 
1st. We must hear in order that we might have faith : for "faith 
cometh by hearing;" and is wrought by the Spirit in the act of 
hearing. There are many who hear, that do not believe what 
they do hear; notwithstanding, those who have believed must 
first have heard that which they do believe : 2 Cor. ii. 16. A 
deaf man's ears are of but little use to him. 2d. The matter 
heard, by which saving faith is wrought, is, " the word of God ; " 
and which is called the " word of faith ; " because it begets and 
supports faith : Eom. x. 8. Faith is the gift of God : Eph. ii. 8 ; 
but he makes use of his word as the instrument, which, on our 
hearing, works faith, when we hear it as " the word of God : " 1 
Thess. ii. 13. And, 3d. God has appointed the preaching of the 
Gospel as the ordinary means of salvation ; and faith in Christ is 
the result of hearing the doctrines of God preached, if heard at- 
tentively : Eom. x. 14. And the arm of the Lord is revealed in 
the salvation of all who do believe; though they may be but 
few : Isa. liii. 1. It is not fine, well-formed words, from an elo- 
quent tongue, that produce faith ; but " the word of God ; " the 
important and all-concerning truths of the Gospel of Christ, in 
their native dress, brought home to the hearts and consciences of 
those who hear them : 1 Cor. ii. 4, 5. 

Prize the word of God ; make it your own ; press it to your 
heart as a pledge of Heaven, whither it is designed to guide you. 
Make its sacred truths the rule of your life ; for hearing and read- 
ing will benefit you nothing without doing: James i. 22-25. 
Faith you must have in order to be saved ; it is indispensable to 
the possession of pure and undefiled religion. 1st. It is a duty 
livinely required : John vi. 29. And the "word of God" must 
be the ground and rule of your faith. 2d. It is the only way of 
salvation: John iii. 18. It is necessary for the attainment of 
every spiritual blessing, and for the performance of every Chris- 
tian duty. 3d. It is an essential property of religion, For what- 
ever we might do, if faith be wanting, all will avail nothing* 
Gal. v. 6. 



236 TO LOYIXG THE WORD. 

"Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his 
commandments." — Ps. cxii. 1. 

CONVERSION begins in consideration. The readiest way 
for yon to know whether yon fear the Lord, is, to know 
whether yon fear sinning ; for the f rnit is more visible than the 
root. " Blessed" that is, happy, truly happy, " is the man" what- 
ever may be his condition in regard to the things of this life, 
" that feareth the Lord." We need not conrt the friendship of the 
world, while we can have fellowship with God ; and that we trnly 
have, if we delight in, and are governed by, his word : 1 John i. 
3. A filial "fear of the Lord" brings with it its own reward. A 
Christian loves the Lord so well, that he is afraid to offend him 
by sinning against him ; he loves what the Lord loves, and hates 
what he does ; and God hates nothing but sin : Prov. vi. 16-19. 
" Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord;" he ts blessed now. 
God blesses him, and that blessing makes him happy, and enables 
him to continue to fear him ; that is, love him too well to sin against 
him. He is blest with a sense of his love ; his forgiving love : Isa. 
xii. 1 ; his healing love : Ps. ciii. 1-3 ; his adopting love : 1 John iii. 
1. Such an one must needs be blessed ; for he has all kinds of 
blessings ; enough to make any one happy : Ps. lxxxiv. 11. Holi- 
ness is the highway to happiness itself ; yea, it is happiness it- 
self : Rev. xxii. 14. All who are happy in the Lord, not only take 
pleasure in, but " delight greatly in his commandments" They 
keep up an intimate acquaintance with them ; love to think of 
them ; and meditate on them, at all times, and on all occasions : 
Ps. cxix. 97. Whoever fears God, as a dutiful child does a fond 
father, must delight in, and be well pleased with his command- 
ments. They enjoin nothing that is grievous, nor prohibit any- 
thing that would be good for us. They are perfect ; nothing can 
be added to, or taken from them : Ps. cxix. 138. They are de- 
signed to bring us back to ourselves, to our duty, and to our 
God: 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17. Many have the commandments of 
God in their heads, and love to talk about them ; but they are 
the only blessed who have them in their hearts, and delight 
greatly in doing them: Ps. cxix, 165, 



TO LOVING THE WORD. 237 

"As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow 
^hereby. " — 1 Pet. ii, 2. 

~VJ"ONE are likely to profit by the word, but those who love 
-J-N the word ; and those who love it will have a desire after 
it: Ps. cxix. 127. Believers have to learn from the images of 
nature the mysteries of grace. The God of nature has kindly 
provided for all nature. The new-born babe soon discovers its 
wants ; and, as if sensible of the provision it has brought with 
it, and which it has a natural right unto, it scarcely breathes the 
air, but it begins to hunt after "the milk" to which its tender 
appetite is naturally drawn ; while the affectionate mother is 
pleased and delighted to administer to its wants and assists the 
little hunter in finding its desired object; and gazes with a 
mother's pleasure upon, while she is imparting nourishment to, 
her tender infant. But great as a parent's love is toward their 
offspring, infinitely greater is the love of our heavenly Father to 
his babes in Christ. 

The desires of new-born babes after milk, are ardent, strong, and 
impatient. "As new-born babes" when pinched with hunger, 
and parched with thirst, manifest such an eagerness to obtain 
milk, so also should every child of grace evince a similar disposi- 
tion, by his love to and searching after, " the milk of the word." 
"Desire it," saith the apostle, "that ye may grow thereby ;" feed 
on it, that ye may be strengthened by it. Nothing can satisfy 
the cravings of the infant like milk ; neither will anything sat- 
isfy the Christian but Christ ; hence he searches the word that 
testifies of him : John v. 39. The infant desires the milk just as 
nature has prepared it ; so does the believer "desire the sincere 
milk of the word " without the least adulteration by art, eloquence, 
or any other mixture of men: Ps. xix. 7, 8. The desires of a 
natural babe are accompanied with endeavors to obtain the milk ; 
a sight of the breast, merely, would not satisfy, but rather increase 
its desires. And such are the active desires of a .sincere Chris- 
tian after the word of God, that they can never be satisfied with- 
out it. Whenever you hear the word, "take heed how ye hear," 
lest what you obtain be skimmed milk, which lias been deprived 
of its nourishing and strengthening qualities. Mind that nothing 
is taken from it. See that it is not watered milk* 



238 TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TONGUE. 

" Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue, keepeth his soul from troubles. " 
— Prov. xxi. 23. 

A MAX has two ears, and but one mouth, and should never 
let out at his mouth more than half what enters in at his 
ears. He has two eyes, and but one tongue ; and ought never to 
tell all that he knows : and should always think twice, before he 
speaks once : Prov. xiv. 3. 

•• Whoso keepeth his mouth." will watch, not only what goes into 
it. but also what comes out of it : for we are exposed to greater 
evils from what comes out of the mouth, than from what goes 
into it : Mark vii. 20-23. It is well to think much, and say 
little ; and that man acts with wisdom, who never leaves his 
mouth unguarded, and holds - his tongue " with a strong curb and 
a tight rein. Such an one will save himself from manv an aching 
heart, as well as prevent the reproaches of others. The man 
who knows how to speak and when to keep silence, evinces a wise 
head; and, what is still better, ''keepeth his soul from troubles:" 
Prov. xiii. 3. Many have ruined themselves by their mouth, and 
with their tongue have cut their own throat : Ps. lxiv. 3, 8. 
Little words frequently produce great troubles : and, therefore, 
all who would keep their souls from troubles, must keep the door 
of their lips, lest their mouths should let out troubles ; for some- 
times there are many troubles in one word. When a word has 
once got out of the mouth, there is no getting it in again ; nor any 
telling where it will fly ; nor what will be made of it, if it has 
been spoken unadvisedly : Ps. xxxix. 1. You would do well to 
take out all your words and look at them before you speak them. 
Watch your words, keep your mouth, bridle your tongue, and 
examine your heart. We should never venture to talk about any 
one we cannot speak well of. Evil words are like poisoned 
arrows : and their wound is most fatal when inflicted on the back. 
It is as hard a task for some men to say what they ought, as it is 
for others not to say more than they ought. Irritability urges us 
to say too much ; and a want of candor too little. Troubles pre- 
vented are better than troubles cured. Say the worst you know 
of a man, in kindness, to his face : and the best you can of him 
when absent. 



TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE TONGUE. 239 

"He that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from 
evil, and his lips that they speak no guile. " — 1 Pet. iii. 10. 

THE tongue is a very good servant; but a very bad master : 
Hos. vii. 16. One of the most dangerous and pernicious 
evils that we have to guard against, is, an unruly tongue; and 
the snares into which men are brought by this little, ungoverna- 
ble member, are sometimes intolerable to themselves, and ruinous 
to others : James iii. 6. 

" He that will love life" or what is the comfort of life, peace, 
and quietness, u let him refrain his tongue from evil" speaking; 
and carefully avoid slandering : Eccl. v. 6. He that would not 
embitter his own life, and would avoid pulling down troubles 
upon his own head, must keep constant watch over " his lips that 
they speak no guile:" Ps. xxxii. 2. Life without comfort, is not 
worth calling life ; be careful, then, as you love your life, to at- 
tend to the prescriptions here given ; that you may lead a happy 
life in this unhappy world. "He that would love life," let him 
so live as to make life comfortable and desirable : Ps. xv. 1-3. 
If you love your life, and would wish to " see good days," to have 
your days peaceable and prosperous, "refrain your tongue from 
evil; " speak evil of no one, though you may be greatly provoked. 
Should you ever be in an ill humor, never speak till you have 
allowed yourself time to repeat the Lord's prayer; and have 
resolved with poor Job : chap, xxvii. 3, 4. Set a strong watch 
over your mouth, and guard your lips that they speak " no guile." 
Suffer not deceit to escape them ; be candid and sincere ; and seek 
peace with all men : Ps. xxxiv. 12-14. Bather die than lie. 
By attending to the mouth and tongue, you will not only avoid 
troubles, but be delivered from them : Pro v. xii. (>. A man shall 
eat good by the fruit of his mouth : Prov. xiii. 2. Pleasant words 
are as a honey-comb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones : 
Prov. xvi. 24. Death and life are in the power of the tongue: 
Prov. xviii. 20. By thy words thon shall be justified, and by thy 
words shalt thou be condemned : Matt. xii. 37. Lei the constant 
tenor of your discourse evince that you arc a Christian. If a 
man seem to be religious, and bridle not his tongue, his religion 
• in, 



240 TO KEEPING GOOD COMPANY. 

"Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor 
standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." — 
Ps. i. 1. 

/^ OOD men walk by good rules : and a man may be known 
VJJ" by the company lie keeps : Prov. xiii. 20. The ungodly 
must neither be feared nor followed : whether they be angels or 
men. Our first parents dearly paid for •• walking in the counsel 
of the ungodly : " Gen. iii. 4. 5. And all who walk in the same 
counsel are also called ungodly men : Jude 4. 

•• Blessed is the man." blessed now. yea. and he shall be blessed. 
" that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly:' We live in an 
ungodly world, surrounded by ungodly spiritual enemies : Eph. 
vi. 12: and ungodly men: who. having cast off all fear of. and 
obedience to God. are ever ready to counsel others to do as they 
have done : Prov. xvi. 27. The first step towards ruin, is to walk 
in bad counsel. Those who take the first step, soon learn to take 
the second : for having laid aside religion, and entered into the 
service of sin and Satan, they take up arms against God. and are 
found '-standing in the way of sinners." ready to pursue all man- 
ner of evil, while evil pursues them : Prov. xiii. 21. And having 
stood awhile in the way of sinners, they soon become qualified 
to take "the seat of the scornful; " and that being placed against 
the gate of destruction, they can step no lower, till they step 
inside : Prov. xix. 29. It is but a short ladder, of three rounds. 
from happiness to wretchedness — ungodly counsel : the sinner's 
way: and scorner's chair. Blessed is the man who shuns both 
their counsel and their way : and the surest method to avoid both 
is. to shun their company ; for if we walk with them, there is 
danger of listening to them. He who walks not in the counsel 
of the ungodly, is not very likely to be found standing in the 
way of sinners : for while he refuses to lend an ear to their 
ungodly counsel, he will certainly not do as sinners do: and by 
keeping out of the sinner's way: he will be kept out of the 
scorner's seat. Such an one is blessed while living: blessed when 
dying : and shall be blessed forever. It is not very difficult to 
tell what will be the end of a man. when we can see the way in 
wjlch he walks. 






TO KEEPING GOOD COMPANY. 241 

"Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and 
touch not the unclean thing ; and I will receive you ; and will be a Father unto 
you." — 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. 

TTTALK according to God's direction, and you will always 
V V be sure of God's protection. Do all that God commands ; 
avoid all that he forbids ; and fear not what man can do. Sin is 
so very infectious, that to mix with sinners is dangerous : Eccl. 
ix. 18. And, therefore, if you would not be infected by them. 
" Come out from among them; " avoid their company as you would 
the plague ; have no communion with them, but keep at a dis- 
tance from them : Isa. lii. 11. Never make sinners, who delight 
in their sins, your companions ; for you will be more likely to 
become polluted by them, than they will to be benefited by you: 
therefore, " be ye separate : " Prov. xiii. 20, 21. Christ loved 
sinners, but he was separate from them ; he neither did as they 
did, nor said as they said. Sin is such a filthy thing, that none 
can have anything to do with it without being defiled. " Touch 
not the unclean thing" under any consideration whatever. Satan 
knows how to paint and gild sin over, in such a manner as to 
make it appear like virtue ; but still it is unclean. Pride he 
calls neatness; covetousness, frugality; drunkenness, good-fellow- 
ship ; rioting, liberality ; gambling, pastime ; and wantonness, 
a trick of youth. " Touch not the unclean thing;" the gilding 
of pills does not alter the nature of them. Keep no company 
where Christ is not welcome. A Christian should not associate 
with those who would consider it an outrage on society to intro- 
duce the subject of religion ; and whose conversation is such as 
becometh not the Gospel of Christ: 1 Cor. xv. 33. If you would 
not be corrupted by them, "come out from among them:" lest 
you should become one of them. A man standing in the sun's 
rays, soon gets his skin tanned, imperceptibly. Was there no 
other reason, why we should Beparate ourselves from the ungodly, 
this should be sufficient, " Thus saith the Lord:" Jer, vii. 23. 
"And I will receive you;^ let who will cast you off, the Lord 
will take you up: l\s. xxvii. 10. "Ami T will be a Father unto 
you;" yea, and a good Father too. No matter who turns you 
out, if God takes you in. To keep your shoes clean, keep out 
of the mud. 



CHAPTER II. 

PROMISES TO DUTIES OF THE SECOND TABLE. 
TO OBEDIENCE TO PAKEXTS. 

"My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy 
mother; for they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains 
about thy neck." — Prov. i. 8, 9. 

CHILDKEX, do consider the relation you sustain to your 
parents ! recollect that you are a part of themselves ; they 
consider you as such ; yea, and a very tender part too ; and in 
proof of which, they have often exposed themselves in order to 
protect you. You are under innumerable obligations to love and 
obey them ; for, by night and by day, you have ever been the 
objects of their tenderest care. 

'-Hear the instruction of thy father;" hear it, and regard it; 
attend to it, and be grateful for it ; for you may always depend 
upon it, as being designed to keep you from evil and do you 
good. "And forsake not the lav: of thy mother;'' respect and 
obey her ; and let all your actions spring from love to her. 
There are many good women in the world, but remember, you 
have but one mothee ! Xo one ever did, nor ever can, love you 
with a mother's love ; neither can it be felt by any but a mother. 
Forsake not her law who has been more to you than all the world 
beside. Let your father and mother know that their love to you 
has not been all lost upon you ; and this you must do, by evinc- 
ing your love to them. Let them see that you prefer their 
company to all others ; that you desire their good opinions, 
whatever others may think of you ; and strive in all things to 
please them. Consult them, and make them your counsellors 
on all occasions ; and however they may differ from your opinion, 
confide in their wisdom. 



TO OBEDIENCE TO PARENTS. 243 

"Honor thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment with 
promise,) that it may be well with thee, and thou may est live long on the 
earth. "— Eph. vi. 2, 3. 

OBEDIEXCE belongs to all children, let their age, sex, or 
condition, be what they may ; and they are in duty bound to 
obey both parents ; the mother as well as the father ; indeed she 
is first named : Lev. xix. 3. We have in this passage plainly 
expressed, 

First. The duties of children to parents ; " Honor thy father 
and mother : " including, 1st. Obedience to all their lawful com- 
mands. Whatever may be the defects, or circumstances of your 
parents, common gratitude, nature, reason, and the word of God, 
all say you ought to love and obey them: Col. iii. 20. Come, 
when they call you ; go, where they send you ; and abstain from 
what they forbid you. 2d. Submission to their instructions, 
rebukes, and corrections : Prov. i. 8, 9. There can be no honor 
without submission. 3d. Disposing of themselves according to 
their advice, consent, and instructions ; and being careful never 
to waste their property : Prov. vi. 20, 21. Honor them in heart, 
speech, and behavior. 4th. Endeavoring in all things to be their 
comfort through life : Prov. xxiii. 22. Actions will honor them 
more than words. 5th. By outward acts evincing an inward 
esteem for them, in preference to all others. 

Secondly. The reason annexed ; which is, First, a promise ; 
" that it may be well with tJiee" 1st. It is a promise of well-doing. 
Obey them in all things which are not forbidden in the word of 
God ; and always let your words correspond with the reverence 
you feel for them in your hearts. In honoring your parents, you 
honor the Lord's commandment: Eph. vi. 1. And, 2d, Those 
who obey the command, may expect a fulfilment of the promise ; 
as is evident from Joseph: Gen. xlvii. 12; and Ruth, chap. i. 
16, 17; and Jesus: Luke ii. 51. Secondly. A threatening im- 
plied; as is evident, 1st. From precept. See Dent xxi. L8-21; 
and xxvii. 16. And, 2d. From example. Ham was cursed of his 
father, for dishonoring him: Gen. ix, 25; and the sons of Eli 
wen* cnt off for their disobedience: 1 Sam. ii. 25. u This is the 
first commandment" of the second table. 



244 TO FAITHFUL SERVANTS. 

"A wise servant shall have rule over a son that cau set h shame." — Prov. 
xvii. 2. 

SERVANTS, you are here encouraged to be faithful, diligent, 
and constant, in your employments, though they may be 
mean and laborious. Do not think, that because you are poor 
you cannot thrive, or be preferred ; for a man might be born in 
a valley, and afterwards live on a hill. " A ivise servant" who 
manages well, and is faithful in what has been intrusted to his 
care, shall, not only have equal rule, but " rule over a son that 
causeth shame " by his foolishness and imprudence. Be thankful 
with, and faithfully improve what you have ; and you will be 
intrusted with more : Prov. xxvii. 18. And, admitting that his 
master should not feel sufficient interest in him to give him a 
son's estate, as is sometimes the case, yet, that soul that is with- 
out grace, is far poorer than that servant whose pockets are 
without money. While you endeavor to discharge faithfully 
every duty you owe to others, forget not those you owe to your- 
self ; for it will never answer any valuable purpose to build a 
good house on a bad foundation. Whatever may be your lawful 
business, make religion your main-business ; and that will enable 
you to perform, cheerfully and faithfully, your daily business. 
Respect your employers ; fear to offend them ; be as conscientious 
in the discharge of every duty when they are absent, as w r hen 
they are present; do all with cheerfulness and good-will; and 
that will make duty a delight, and please those whom you serve. 
Always show a good-will toward every member of the family you 
are in ; and rather suffer wrong, than do wrong. Your employers 
may have the command -of your bodies and services, but not of 
your consciences. Have one eye on your employer, and the other 
on Christ : Eph. vi. 5-8. You may be exposed to many tempta- 
tions, but yield to none of them. Be sober in every respect. Be 
chaste; remembering that your character is your all; let no enemy 
rob you of this your passport through life ; lest you become 
blighted, abandoned, and forlorn. Be frugal on all occasions ; 
both with your own, and that with which you are intrusted. 
Faithfully discharge every duty: and if you would be obliged 
yourself, study to oblige others. 



TO FAITHFUL SERVANTS. 245 

"Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh ; not with 
eye-service, as men-pleasers ; but in singleness of heart, fearing God." — 
Col. iii. 22. 

A GOOD servant is more honorable than a bad master. 
Christ's free men may be servants to, but not of men : 
John viii. 32, 36. "Servants, obey in all things" that God has 
not forbidden, "your masters according to the flesh" Do, love, 
and live, your duty ; but should you be commanded to violate 
one of God's commands, it will be your duty, mildly, but firmly, 
to refuse to obey them. A righteous servant is of greater value, 
in the Lord's account, than a wicked master: Prov. xxii. 1-4. 
Serve in all things lawfully, but in nothing sinfully : Acts v. 29. 
"Not with eye-service;" as those who are very diligent in their 
master's presence, but very negligent in his absence ; " as men- 
pleasers;" who, if they can but please their masters, care noth- 
ing about profiting them, nor displeasing God. Be faithful in 
the discharge of every duty, at all times, but especially in the ab- 
sence of your employer ; for you will thereby secure his confidence, 
and a good conscience." "In singleness of heart " in honesty of 
intention, "fearing God." 

That servant who fears God, will always act faithfully toward 
his master ; because he knows the eye of God is constantly upon 
him : Neh. v. 15. There is no situation in which you can be 
placed, that will excuse neglect of God ; fear him, and you need 
fear nothing else ; for nothing can harm you but sin ; and the 
fear of offending Him will keep you from sinning. Set the Lord 
always before you ; make religion your chief concern ; and while 
your hands are engaged below, let your heart be engaged above : 
Luke x. 42. Endeavor, by an affable, gentle, and obliging de- 
portment, to gain the esteem and confidence of every one in the 
family whom you may serve ; and let no opportunity slip of mak- 
ing yourself more and more acquainted with the word of God, 
Servants who fear God, will do all things to his glory ; and suffer 
no wages to tempt them to go to, or continue in. any situation 
where the Lord's day is taken from them. In the busiest of 
times, always find time to prayj and God will find an opportu- 
nity to bless yon : Col. iii. 24. 



246 TO FAITHFUL MINISTERS. 

" Thou sha/t go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command 
liiee, thou shalt speak. Be not afraid of their faces ; for I am with thee to 
deliver thee, saith the Lord. ,} — Jer. i. 7, 8. 

IF, like Paul, you are constrained to say, " Wo is unto me, if I 
preach not the Gospel ! " and, from a sense of your insuffi- 
ciency, cry out with Jeremiah, " I am a child ! " you will not be 
offended at any one offering to instruct you; admitting he be a 
child, both in years and experience. Eli listened attentively to 
a message delivered by the child Samuel. Moses made many ex- 
cuses, but God was not pleased with them ; and Jeremiah made 
many modest objections, but God removed them, and graciously 
encouraged him. 

" Thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee" is the Lord's dec- 
laration to the one whom He commissions. If you are fully con- 
vinced of its being your duty to bear the tidings of salvation to a 
lost and ruined world, you have great cause to be humble ; and 
may well exclaim, " Who is sufficient for these things ? " 2 Cor. 
ii. 16. But be not discouraged; though humbly, go cheerfully 
wheresoever, and to whomsoever, God shall send you; and re- 
member, that you have no choice in this matter, neither as it 
regards where you are to go, nor what you are to say : Ezek. 
xxxiii. 7. He who gave you your mission, will also give your 
message ; so that you need never be at a loss what to say. " And 
ivhatsoever I command thee, thou shalt speak" Whether men re- 
ceive your message, or are offended at it, is not your business ; 
for what God says, that you must say, without adding to, or tak- 
ing from it : Acts xx. 26, 27. And though you may, yea, will, 
have many to oppose you, who do not love the truth, " Be not 
afraid of their faces" though they may appear big, bold, and dar- 
ing, and would look you out of countenance. "For I am with 
thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord." Declaring the truth faith- 
fully, may bring you into trouble ; but the God of truth will 
bring you out of trouble. By preaching what the Lord com- 
mands, you may offend some of your pretended friends; and 
cause enemies to rise up against you ; but that should give you 
but little concern ; "for I am with thee" saith He, whose mes- 
sage you deliver. Deliver it faithfully; and live what you 
preach; for the world will watch you. 



TO FAITHFUL MINISTERS. 247 

" Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine ; continue in them : for in 
doing this, thou shaft both save thyself, and them that hear thee." — 1 Tim. 
it. 16. 

MEN of learning and character have confirmed the impres- 
sion, that the office of the ministry, which was formerly a 
sacrifice, is now become a trade. " Take heed to thyself; " and 
what thou teachest to others, be careful to practise thyself. Give 
attendance to reading and meditation ; neglect not the gift that is 
in thee ; and never suffer that plant to wither for the want of 
proper care : ver. 13, 14. It is a painful calling thou art engaged 
in ; but be not slothful in it ; spare no pains ; think no trial too 
great, nor any cross too heavy, in order to become a good work- 
man at thy business : 2 Tim. ii. 15. Be not afraid of wearing 
out ; for that would be far better than rusting out : 2 Tim. iv. 2. 
And whilst thou preachest against worldly-mindedness, "take 
heed unto thyself : " 1 Pet. v. 2. Be not encumbered with any- 
thing belonging to this world, that you can possibly do without ; 
but let the salvation of precious souls be your chief concern : 1 
Tim. vi. 11. " Take heed to thyself ; " and convince the people, 
that it is for them, and not for theirs, that thou art laboring : Isa. 
lxii. 1. " And to the doctrine : " See to it that what you preach is 
pure, and uncorrupted as it came from God ; without being adul- 
terated with the inventions of men : Matt, xxviii. 20. And hav- 
ing received the true doctrine, or truths of the Gospel, "continue 
in them;" for they have God in Christ as their Author — Matter 
— and End: 1 Tim. vi. 1-5. "For in doing this" according to 
that ability which God hath given thee, "thou shalt save thyself" 
from all the baneful consequences of handling the word of God 
deceitfully; "and them that hear thee" from that condemnation 
that rests upon all unbelievers: John iii. 18, 36. The work thou 
art engaged in is a saving work; and by taking heed to thyself — 
knowing the truth thyself — and faithfully, and plainly preach- 
ing and living the truth thyself, "them that hear thee" will be 
led to live and obey the truth : and be saved through believing, 
from that guilt consequent upon unbelief: John iv. .'H>. The 

truth must be heard before it can be believed. 



248 TO FAITHFUL MINISTERS. 

" Thou shalt stand before me ; and if thou take the precious from the vile, 
thou shalt be as my mouth ; let them return unto thee ; but return not thou 
unto them." — Jer. xv. 19. 

A FAITHFUL minister is Christ's ambassador : 2 Cor. v. 20. 
Ministers are watchmen ; and so long as the souls over 
whom they watch are in danger, they will have to be wakeful, 
watchful, and laborious : Ezek. xxxiii. 7. " Thou shalt stand 
before me" to receive my message at my mouth ; and see to it 
that thou keep not silence ; nor think of sitting at ease upon the 
walls of Zion : Isa. lxii. 6. And it is at a minister's peril, to 
diminish a word of all that God commands : Jer. xxvi. 2. There 
are three things in which God requires all his ministers to be 
faithful. 

1st. " If thou take the precious from the vile" as the husbandman 
does the wheat from the chaff ; bearing in mind that every grain 
of wheat is enveloped in a coat of chaff : Matt. iii. 12. Take the 
precious blood of Christ from the impure acts of man ; and never 
suffer them to be mixed in the price of redemption : 1 Pet. i. 18, 
19. Draw the line between the precious sons of Zion, whatever 
might be their outward condition, and vile professors : Lam. iv. 2. 
Distinguish between precious faith and vile hypocrisy : 2 Pet. i. 1. 
Suffer not the precious work of the Lord to be mingled with the 
vile traditions of men : 1 Sam. iii. 1 ; Matt. xv. 9. If thou dost 
thus prove thyself to be a workman, 

2d. " Thou shalt be as my mouth" As though he had said, if 
thou stand upon thy post as a servant ; deliver my message faith- 
fully ; do all in thy power to dissuade, alarm, or persuade them to 
return unto me ; all thou hast said shall be made good, just the 
same as if by my own mouth I had spoken it : " Isa. xliv. 26. 
And, 

3d. Stand fast, u Let them return unto thee;" they must bring 
their hearts and lives to my words ; " but return thou not unto 
them;" for my law must not be brought down to them; there- 
fore, think not to make the matter easier by a compliance to their 
wishes. Closely adhere to the instructions God gives, and never 
vary in the least to accommodate any one. When you preach the 
truth, preach it in such a manner as to convince your hearers. 



TO FAITHFUL MINISTERS. 249 

"And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of 
glory that fadeth not away." — 1 Pet. v. 4. 

SATAK has his ministers ; and they generally contrive to make 
themselves look like the ministers of Christ : 2 Cor. xi. 15. 
Such ministers are as zealous in promoting error, as the true 
servants of Christ are in promoting truth. In the general, they 
are influenced to preach by the love of money, power, or applause ; 
but their end is according to their works : 1 Tim. vi. 10. But 
a faithful minister is constrained by the love of Christ, to preach 
the Gospel of Christ : 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. Christ is God's Shepherd : 
Zech. xiii. 7. " And when the chief Shepherd" who owns all the 
sheep : John iii. 35 ; supplies all their needs : John x. 15, 16 ; 
has the management of the whole flock : Heb. xiii. 20 ; who re- 
deemed them with his own blood : 1 Pet. i. 18, 19 ; who with- 
holds no good thing from them : John vi. 50, 51 ; and who is the 
Shepherd and Bishop of souls: 1 Pet. ii. 25-, when he "shall 
appear" you shall not be forgotten. When Jesus Christ, the 
Owner, Euler, Protector, Lover, and Shepherd of his sheep, "shall 
appear/' to reckon with all his under-shepherds, he will not be 
unmindful of your services and labors of love ; for then, " ye shall 
receive a crown of life" That is the reward promised to all who 
love his appearing : 2 Tim. iv. 8. 

You may, from the many discouragements you will have to 
contend with, and a sense of your own weakness, be ready to 
conclude, after laboring hard, and long, that your labors have been 
all lost : Isa. xlix. 4 ; and that you will speak no more in the 
name and cause of Christ: Jer. xx. 9; but let nothing discourage 
you in, nor allure you from, the path of duty : Acts xx. 24. Your 
reward is with the Lord, whose servant } r ou are ; and after your 
work is faithfully done, "ye shall receive a crown of glory; " an 
ever-flourishing, incorruptible, never-fading crown: 1 Pet. L 1. 
Vour time of sorrow cannot last long; but your u crown of glory " 
will wear forever: Dan. xii. 3. Pay great attention, not only to 
the matter, but also to the hianneb of your preaching: in nar- 
ration, be distinct; in reasoning, slow; in persuasion, strong. 
Abandon every vitiated habit. 



250 TO THEM THAT HEARKEN TO GOD'S MINISTERS. 

"Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established ; believe his 
prophets, so shall ye prosper." — 2 Chron. xx. 20. 

FAITH in God is better than sword in hand. Faith has sub- 
dued armies : Heb. xi. 33, 34 ; and assuredly will overcome 
the world. "Believe in the Lord your God" and you will need 
neither bow, spear, shield, nor sword ; for the God of Israel will 
fight for the Israel of God : Josh, xxiii. 10. t While you firmly 
rely on " the Lord your God," it matters not who, or what, comes 
out against you : Deut. xxviii. 7. To believe in the Lord, is to 
trust in, and repose our minds upon, his grace and love to us in 
Jesus Christ ; to receive him just as he has revealed himself to 
us ; to " believe his prophets," who testify of his love to us in 
his Son, and of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. It is not said 
that you are to believe all who call themselves his prophets, 
without once questioning their authority, or the truth of what 
they say ; or taking the trouble to examine the doctrines they 
teach : 1 John iv. 1. But, on the contrary, when they come in 
the name of God, examine all they say by the word of God : Acts 
xvii. 11. Faith comes by hearing; it is, therefore, your duty 
and privilege to attend on the ministry of the word : Eom. x. 17. 
The Lord commands us, 

First, To believe in Him : He is set forth as the object of our 
faith. Believe in him as your God and Father ; considering the 
fulness, freeness, and suitableness of his promises ; rest all your 
concerns in his hands, just as little children confide in their 
parents : Ps. ciii. 13, 14. And " believe Ids prophets" or his min- 
isters who preach the truths spoken by the prophets ; for all who 
are sent of God, preach that Saviour who was spoken of by all 
the prophets of God : Luke i. 68-70. 

Secondly, Encourage our faith by a brace of promises, 1st. 
" So shall ye be established : " you shall be firmly fixed and settled 
in your mind; and no longer, as one lame, go halting between 
two opinions ; or tossed about by every wind that blows : Heb. 
xiii. 9. And, 2d. "So shall ye prosper:" you shall increase in 
knowledge of divine things ; your faith in the promises shall 
grow stronger; your evidence of acceptance with God, become 
clearer ; and your acquaintance with him, greater. 



TO THEM THAT HEARKEN TO GOD'S MINISTERS. 251 

"He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet, shall receive a 
prophet 's reward. " — Matt. x. 41. 

THE best of men often meet with the worst of treatment. Our 
gracious Lord, when sending his disciples forth to preach 
the blessed Gospel, well knew that many would not only be 
ungrateful enough to reject his gracious message, but also ill use 
his ministers : John xvi. 2. Notwithstanding, for their encour- 
agement, he gives them to understand that some would receive 
their message, and them too ; that their labors should not be in 
vain ; and whatever was done unto them he should consider as 
done to himself : Matt. x. 40. 

"He that receiveth a prophet" not because he is respectable, 
learned, or witty ; or because he has done him some act of kind- 
ness, or is likely so to do; but "in the name of a prophet;" 
because he is a disciple of Christ's, and as such bears the image of 
Christ ; " shall receive a prophet's reward : " Heb. vi. 10. Should 
he be weak, he must be received ; and what he says in the name 
of the Lord, must be listened to with as great attention as though 
he was strong and eloquent. Should he be called an " impostor" 
you are not to look upon him as such, until you have proved him 
to be one ; but " receive him in the name of a prophet ; " and 
should it afterwards prove that you were deceived, God will not 
suffer your well-meant labor of love to be forgotten : you shall 
have, not an impostor's, but a "prophet's reward ; " though it be 
proved in the end that he was not a prophet. And if he be a 
prophet, whom you have received in that name, you shall have 
his prayers, and God's blessing : Gen. xx. 7. Be careful that you 
slight not one of God's ministers ; for by slighting one of them, 
you slight Him that sent him. 

Consider the blessedness of receiving a prophet, or minister, 
sent by Christ; that is, not only welcome his person, but attend 
to his message ; you shall have a "prophet's reward." What more 
can you desire? A prophet has a present reward in obeying his 
Lord's commands: Ps. cxix. 165. He has claim to all the promises 
of God in Christ: 2 Cor. i. 20; and an assurance of a. crown o\' 
life : 2 Tim. iv. 6-8. You may think wrong; but be sure you act 
right. To know a prophet, you must try his spirit: 1 John iv. 1, 2, 



252 TO LOVE AND UNITY. 

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in 
unity !" — Ps. cxxxiii. 1. 

A BRAHAM and Lot separated to prevent strife ; and that 
-£jL caused a great deal of trouble in the end : Gen. xiii. 9 ; xiv. 
12-16. " Behold ! " Look ! Do consider, " how good it is " for us ; 
how agreeable unto us ; and how comfortable it will make us ! 
how very good — how inconceivably and inexpressibly good ! and 
" how pleasant it is ! " how delightful ! how agreeable to us, and 
pleasing to God ! " for brethren to dwell together in unity!" The 
more we live in unity with our brethren, the happier we shall be 
in ourselves ; and the greater benefit shall we derive as a church 
or society. The objects of God's love should ever be the objects 
of our love : 1 John v. 1. God's peculiar love to us should pro- 
duce a peculiar love in us : 1 John iii. 16. What a contrast, 
" brethren dwelling together in unity," presents with those that 
cannot live together for enmity ! " How unnatural " it is " for 
brethren to be snapping and snarling, debating and contending, 
quarrelling and brawling, envying and backbiting, reproaching 
and deriding, tearing and devouring, one another ! Gal. v. 15. It 
is natural for a wolf to kill a lamb; but very ^natural for lambs 
to kill, or even wound each other. If there is happiness to be 
enjoyed on earth, it certainly is among " brethren who dwell together 
in unity" Union ever tends to augment the happiness of its 
possessor — to recommend divine truth to all around — to extend 
the kingdom of the Redeemer upon earth — and to give strength 
and stability to the Christian course : 2 Cor. xiii. 11. For, " Be- 
hold ! how good and how pleasant it is ! " How precious are their 
joys ; and how pleasantly their days, weeks, months, and years 
glide away, while dwelling together in unity! They dwell to- 
gether in paradise below, till removed to paradise above. 

There are some things to be avoided, and others to be per- 
formed, in order to promote Christian union. 1st. A spirit of 
evil surmising ; uncharitable thoughts ; evil-speaking ; detraction ; 
and a reservedness of disposition, must be studiously avoided : 
Eph. iv. 22-26. And, 2d. A regular dependence upon God, and a 
uniformity of conduct, must be daily attended to. 



TO LOYE AND UNITY. 253 

"By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to 
another." — John xiii. 35. 

"^TATUEE says, love thyself; but Grace and Christ say, 
-1-N " Love one another." Love is so essential a part of relig- 
ion, that there is no possibility of being a Christian without it : 1 
John iii. 10. "By this" — the livery which all Christ's servants 
wear, and which distinguishes them from the men of the world, 
who love none but themselves — says the blessed Eedeemer, 
" shall all men know that ye are my disciples" By this plain, but 
honorable badge, any one may know for himself, whether he is a 
disciple of Christ ; for this is the Christian's low-water mark : 1 
John iii. 14. "By this" when clouds and darkness are around 
him, and doubts and fears are within him, and when every other 
mark appears to have been removed, he knows that he is passed 
from death unto life. But this knowledge is not confined to 
themselves, nor a few of their intimate friends ; for the Saviour 
declares, " By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples." 
They shall not conjecture, or guess, or think, that you look like 
Christians ; their doubts will be removed, and they shall know of 
a truth that ye are his disciples, "if ye have love one to another" 
It is worthy of remark, our Lord does not say, if ye possess love 
— make a show of love — or talk about love — but if ye have 
love one to another: 1 John iv. 19-21. Where real love is 
absent, true faith is never present : Gal. v. 6. Those who are 
destitute of love are ignorant of its true value. Love enables us 
to be patient under trouble ; slow to anger; to forgive injuries; 
to be kind to our enemies ; to deny ourselves ; to do good to our 
neighbors ; to mourn over the faults and afflictions of others ; to 
kindly bear with the infirmities of all; and makes the present 
life like a little heaven among ourselves ; while it strongly rec- 
ommends us to the esteem of others : 1 Cor. xiii. 1-8. 

All who are the " children of God by faith," maintaining the 
same common principles, influenced by the same motives, sharing 
in the same enjoyments, and bearing the same Father's image, 
are the subjects of a mutual and tender affection for each other; 
and which expresses itself by every possible act oi' kindness. It 
is natural for disciples to imitate their master. 



254 TO THE PEACE-MAKEES. 

" To the counsellors of peace is joy " — Prov. xii. 20. 
"ATOTHIXG can be more contrary to the gospel of peace, than 
-i^N strife and contention ; which not only bring confusion, but 
every other evil work : Prov. xvii. 14. Those who have become 
reconciled to God will use every lawful mean to be at peace with 
men : Eom. xii. 18. If we have lost peace, it is our duty to seek 
after, and pursue it, till we obtain it : Heb. xii. 14. Every real 
Christian is a subject of the Prince of peace : Isa. ix. 6. He is, 
therefore, for peace ; he loves peace ; he pursues and strives for 
peace ; he would fain live peaceably with all men ; and pick up a 
quarrel with no man : Ps. cxx. 7. He is more desirous to obtain 
peace than wealth; hence it is, that he has an abundance of peace : 
Ps. xxxvii. 11. 

" To the counsellors of peace" who study and deliberate on mak- 
ing peace ; who devise ways and means how to bring about and. 
restore peace; who direct, advise, admonish others to be &t peace; 
who labor for peace as a faithful and able counsellor does for his 
client ; to all such counsellors the Lord has promised a handsome 
fee ; which is joy." The counsellors of peace may differ upon 
some points from those of the law ; inasmuch as it is the business 
of those of peace to make up breaches ; heal wounds ; sew up 
rents ; mend gaps ; dress old hurts ; allay tumults ; quell riots ; 
and plead causes ; without being hired. But, admitting they 
have the most work, they have the best fee ; and it is the most 
certain ; for the counsellor of law often loses his fee ; but " to 
the counsellors of peace is joy." They get their fee while doing 
their work; and enjoy the full benefit of it after their work is 
done, in the enjoyment of that peaceful blessedness which none 
but peace-makers know : 1 Pet. iii. 10. 

It is the happiness of all the faithful disciples of Jesus, that 
although they cannot always make peace, they may always find 
peace : and though they cannot find it on earth, they may obtain 
it from heaven : John xvi. 33. How great is the joy of all peace- 
makers ! it is a peculiar joy ; enjoyed only by those who are at 
peace with the Prince of peace ; they desire that others should 
partake of the same joy; and hence they delight in being " coun- 
sellors of peace." Follow after peace. 



TO THE PEACE-MAKERS. 255 

"Blessed are the peace-makers : for they shall be called the children of 
Go</."— Matt, v. 9. 

/^\ EACE in the heart is seen in the life ; and a pure heart will 
V!X be accompanied by a pure life, and love of peace : James 
iii. 11-13. "Blessed are the peace-makers." As war divides 
nations, towns, families and individuals, so peace restores them 
to unity, and makes their object and interest one. A peace- 
maker is one who loves peace ; desires it and seeks after it ; he 
never fans the sparks of strife ; as he feels his own interest pro- 
moted whenever he can succeed in promoting that of others : 1 
Pet. iii. 10. The "peace-maker" uses all his influence to recon- 
cile contending parties ; and though it sometimes proves a thank- 
less office, and he gets himself ill-used, he still pursues his course ; 
because he knows it to be a good office; and he finds himself 
blessed in his work : Ps. cxx. 7. Those who possess so much of 
the spirit of the Gospel of peace are already blessed ; and carry a 
continual blessedness in their own bosoms : Prov. xii. 20. " They 
shall be called the children of God" Yea, and they shall, not only 
be so called, for God will give them the evidence within that they 
are such : Eom. viii. 16, 17. The Father is a God of peace : Rom. 
xv. 33 ; the Son is the Prince of peace : Isa. ix. 6 ; and the Holy 
Ghost is the Spirit of peace : Gal. v. 22. God loves peace ; and 
is so well pleased with peace-makers, he declares " they shall 
be called the children of God ; " and seeing he never miscalls 
anything, as children, they shall be entitled to all his children's 
privileges. They shall have his direction in difficulties : James 
i. 5 ; His support under trials : Ps. lv. 22 ; His protection in dan- 
gers : Ps. xxxiv. 7 ; His aid in sickness : Ps. xli. 3 3 His presence 
in death : Ps. xxiii. 4 ; and a seat by His side after death : Rev. 
iii. 21. The man who has peace with God, should strive to make 
peace with man ; and whoever has peace within, should labor for 
peace without. Seeing God has done so much to procure peace 
for us, the least we can do is to make peace with each other. Let 
no one call himself a follower of Jesus, who is not a lover of 
peace ; for He is our peace ; our Peace-maker ; our Peaee-bringer ; 
our Peace-giver ; and our Peace-supporter : Eph. ii. 14. 



256 TO THE CHARITABLE. 

"Blessed is he that considereth the poor ; the Lord will deliver him in time 
of trouble." — Ps. xli. 1. 

SOME who have many goods, do no good with their goods ; 
and hence, while surrounded with wealth, they are wretched 
and miserable : Eev. iii. 17. But those who are rich in pocket 
and poor in spirit, are doubly blessed: and their poverty in spirit 
is sure to dispose them to consider the poor. Observe. 

1st. "Blessed is he that considereth the poor;" that thinks of 
them: remembers them : and calls to mind their poverty and afflic- 
tions : that pities, and resolves, after deliberation, to grant them 
speedy relief. •'•' Blessed is he." even while considering in what 
way he can do them the most good : Prov. xiv. 21. The poor 
widow, whose agonized heart he makes glad, blesses him ; the 
orphan, whose tears he dries up by supplying his pressing wants. 
blesses him : the poor. sick, and afflicted, with all that are dis- 
tressed, whether in mind. body, or estate, will lift up their eyes 
to heaven, pour blessings on his head, and kiss the kind hand of 
their deliverer : Prov. xxii. 9. But the blessings he receives from 
the poor, whose suffering he softens, are not to be compared with 
the blessedness he feels in his own bosom : Acts xx. 35. He 
shalh not only be blessed of man. and blessed in himself, but 
blessed of God. 

2d. ••' Tfie Lord icill deliver him in time of trouble.'' There is no 
situation in which man can be placed, in this life, but he will 
always find troubles peculiar to that situation. But whoever 
considers the poor shall be remembered by the Lord : and as he 
had compassion on ethers in the time of distress, so "He will 
deliver him in the time of trouble.'* If we consider not the poor, 
we are. not only unkind to our fellow-creatures, but ungrateful to 
God; through whose tender mercies it is. that we can see the 
blind, hear the deaf, talk of the dumb, walk to the lame, and visit 
the sick. Should you be so poor, that you cannot give to the 
poor, you will be blessed if you do but consider the poor : and 
when you cannot give a penny you may lend a hand. TVTiatever 
you give to ; or do for the poor, the Lord takes it as done to him- 
self ; and will assuredly pay you again: Prov. xix. 17. The poor 
ye always have with you: Matt, xxvi, 11. 



TO THE CHARITABLE. 257 

" To do good and communicate forget not ; for with such sacrifices God is 
well pleased." — Heb. xiii. 16. 

~^VT~0 man is what he says, but what he does. Some have 
JLi charity always in their mouths, but never in their hearts ; 
and such are great talkers, but little doers : Prov. xiv, 23. " To 
do good" is our indispensable duty. God will not be put off with 
good talking, without good doing ; for words are but wind, and 
will neither feed the hungry nor clothe the naked: James ii. 
14-16. The Lord is so concerned for the poor, that he considers 
himself slighted when the poor are neglected: Deut. xv. 7-11. 
There are those who are ready to do good when it costs them 
nothing ; and lest you should be tempted to imitate their ex- 
ample, it is added, " and to communicate forget not : " 2 Cor. ix. 
6, 7. According to the utmost of our ability, we must communi- 
cate to the necessities of others ; and not think of putting them 
off with our prayers and good wishes ; for either a prayer or a 
wish, that is not worth a cent, will be of but little service to a 
poor sufferer : Eccl. xi. 1, 2. If God has given to you but little, 
he does not expect you to give much ; but he does expect you to do 
all you can for those who are poorer than yourself : Prov. xi. 24. 

" Forget not " to do all you can, and the best you can ; and then, 
depend not upon your good deeds, but upon Christ alone ; "for 
with sack sacrifices God is well pleased" And, as a proof of his 
being well pleased, he will accept your offering, bless your soul, 
and give you the evidence within that he is well pleased with 
what you have done : Luke vi. 38. 

Nothing exalts the human character more than acts of disin- 
terested benevolence. Our blessed Jesus "went about doing 
good." None ever applied to him for aid but were sent away 
rejoicing. The Saviour persevered in doing good, and was never 
weary of it. It is our duty, as Christians, to copy after him: 
Matt. xi. 29. Let us, by soft pity and tender compassion to the 
wretched, by going about, as Ear as we have opportunity, to seek 
the sons and daughters of affliction, and when we find them in 
their abodes of wretchedness, pity them ; and by acts o( kindness 
show that we possess the uind that, was in Christ: Phil. ii. 
Feed the hungry ; clothe the naked; comfort the mourner; and 
instruct the ignorant. 



258 TO SUPPORTING GOD'S MINISTERS AND WORSHIP. 

" The Leviie, (because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee,) and the 
stranger, and the father/ess, and tho widow, which are within thy (jates, shall 
come, and shall eat and he satisfied ; that the Lord thy God may bhss thee 
in all the work of thine hand which thou doest." — Dout. xiv. 29. 

IT is a great mercy to have a portion in the world ; but a great 
misery to have the world for our portion, The Lord has 
ever been -known to be a helper of the helpless ; and has a 
peculiar regard for such as others are too apt to neglect : Ps. xli. 
1-3. It appears evident, that the Lord never intended for hie 
ministers to live like ministers of state ; for, in the general, he 
has ever kept them poor. But though this is the case, he will 
not suffer them to be neglected ; for while he makes it an indis- 
pensable duty to consider the poor, he adds, " and the Levite ; " 
who is kept poor that he might know how to preach to the poor : 
Luke iv. 18 ; and also to try the liberality of the rich. The Lord 
has provided better things for his faithful ministers, than the 
gaudy, empty things of this vain world ; still' they must be sup- 
ported by those among whom they labor : 1 Cor. ix. 1-14. 

Ministers ought to live by preaching, but they cannot live on 
it ; each one, therefore, should be provided for by those who have 
his labors; "because he hath no part nor inheritance;" nor any 
other means of procuring a support for himself, his time being all 
taken up in the work of the ministry. That is a very powerful 
reason why a minister should be provided for by the people to 
whom he ministers; "because he hath no part nor inheritance 
with thee." Though Paul labored with his own hands, and min- 
istered to his own necessities, on some occasions : Acts xviii. 3 ; 
xx. 34 ; he has proved that those who preach the gospel, should 
be supported by the people : 1 Cor. ix. 9-14. His wants were 
supplied by the brethren of Macedonia : 2 Cor. xi. 9 ; and when 
he and his friend left Melita, the people loaded them with such 
things as they needed : Acts xxviii. 10. 

" And the stranger " must have kindness shown to him, that he 
might not think unfavorably of religion, but be won to it. " And 
the fatherless and the widow " must not be neglected, nor suffered 
to want ; but particular care should be taken that they " eat and 
be satisfied" &c. 



TO SUPPORTING GOD'S MINISTERS AND WORSHIP. 259 

"Let him that is taught in the word, communicate to him that teacheth in 
all good things. " — Gal. vi. 6. 

CHRISTIAN ministers have a high designation — " Servants 
of the most high God : " Acts xvi. 17 ; and which imports 
that their commission is from Him : Mark. xvi. 15, 16. The Lord, 
in his infinite wisdom and goodness, has seen fit to teach man by 
the ministry of man; and has forbidden those who preach the 
Gospel, to entangle themselves with the things of the world : 2 
Tim. ii. 4 ; but has made it the duty of those who hear the Gos- 
pel, to support them who preach it. 

"Let him that is taught in the word" ever bear in mind, that as 
there are some to be taught, so there must be some to be teachers ; 
and that it is the duty of every one taught, to "communicate to him 
that teacheth : " Eom. xv. 27. The ministry of the Gospel is of 
Divine appointment ; and those whom God calls and qualifies, are 
in duty bound to preach it ; while it is equally incumbent on all 
to hear it : Eom. x. 14-17. Ministers are God's servants ; but 
are neither slaves to, nor lords over the people : 1 Pet. v. 3. 
Their business is to instruct others " in the word " of God ; and it 
is at their peril to preach anything else as a substitute for " the 
word : " 2 Tim. iv. 2 ; neither are you under obligation to believe 
anything they preach that cannot be clearly proved by "the 
word : " Acts xvii. 11. Neither is it a minister's business to 
domineer over your faith ; but to explain " the word " unto you, 
as the only rule of faith and practice : 2 Cor. i. 24. Ministers 
should never cull the Scriptures ; but preach the whole of the 
word : Acts xx. 27. And while he is thus laboring for and teach- 
ing you, both reason and Scripture say, you ought to " communi- 
cate to him that teacheth in all good things" While he is freely 
communicating to you in all spiritual things which God has given 
to him, it is your duty and privilege to, liberally and cheerfully, 
communicate unto him "in all good things" the Lord has given 
to you : 1 Cor. ix. 11-14. He has no right to expect extravagant 
and sumptuous things; but "all good things" are his due; and he 
reasonably expects them; both for himself and those whom God 
may have committed to his care. Any shepherd ought to tare as 
well as his flock. 



260 TO THE MERCIFUL. 

" The merciful man doeth good to his own soul." — Prov. xi. 17. 
~1V /["EEC Y ! What a charming sound ! it is the cheerer of the 
-LV_L heart — the burden of our song — the wonder of Heaven 
— the envy of hell — the admiration of men — and the distin- 
guished attribute of God ! 

" The merciful man" who keeps mercy constantly within him, 
is ever ready freely to do all the good he can to the miserable 
and distressed around him : Prov. iii. 3, 4. When provoked, or 
wronged, he remembers mercy ; and is always ready to forgive 
injuries rather than resent them ; and is ever disposed to mani- 
fest undeserved kindness, by pitying, comforting, helping, and 
.delivering all who are distressed : Ps. xviii. 25. He is ever study- 
ing and practising good ; and in so doing, " doeth good to his own 
soul" He that doeth good with his goods, shall have the bless- 
ing of God, which is the greatest good : Prov. xxii. 9. The man 
who will not scatter his seed, but keeps it shut up in his barn, 
need never expect a good harvest. But truly blessed is that man 
who is continually scattering blessings around him, in works of 
piety, and generosity : Ps. xli. 1-3. He has the blessed satisfac- 
tion of knowing, that he has done his duty; and in so doing has 
contributed to the comfort and happiness of others; and feels 
that his own soul has been refreshed with spiritual blessings, 
while comforting others with temporal blessings : Isa. lviii. 10, 
11. "The merciful man" will hurt no one; but delights in doing 
good to all ; he lives to do good ; and is never better pleased than 
when he has it in his power to show mercy ; and thus " do good 
to his own soul." The law of love is written on his heart ; he 
strives with untiring zeal to hunt out, bind up, and heal, every 
wound distress has made ; and make the soul of every living 
thing rejoice. He views the race of man as one vast family of 
brothers, sisters, friends ; and if one transgresses the laws of that 
family by doing him, or any one else an injury, he is ready to 
forgive. " The merciful man " counts nothing that he has his 
own ; but, like a faithful steward in a great alms-house, what he 
has received he freely gives to all that need. And if he has a foe, 
it rejoices his heart to have it in his power to do him good, and 
extend to him the hand of mercy. 



TO THE MERCIFUL. 261 

"Blessed are the merciful ; for they shall obtain mercy." — Matt. v. 7. 

A LITTLE mercy is worth a deal of pity. Self is a near 
kinsman, but a bad neighbor ; and a man who truly loves 
himself will never confine his goodness to himself : Luke vi. 38. 
And he who cares for no one but self, is the greatest enemy to 
himself. 

"Blessed are the merciful" God is so delighted with mercy, 
that he has pronounced the merciful already blessed. Blessed 
are those who are ever ready to relieve and forgive others : Deut. 
xxiv. 12, 13. A man may be too poor to be bountiful ; but he can 
never be too poor to be merciful ; for where there is not the way, 
God will accept of the will : 2 Cor. viii. 12. We should bear our 
own sufferings patiently ; and contribute to the relief of others 
cheerfully : Job vi. 14. That mercy which we could reasonably 
desire or expect that others should show to us, were we in their 
circumstances and they in ours, we should show to them : Matt, 
vii. 12. Pity without mercy will avail us nothing ; we should, 
therefore, be merciful to the souls, as well as the bodies of men ; 
and evince it by instructing the ignorant, warning the careless, 
comforting the mourner, and reclaiming the wanderer : Isa. lviii. 
10, 11. The merciful are, not only blessed note, that is, while 
showing mercy, but they shall be blessed in future; for "they 
shall obtain mercy " from men, if ever they need it ; and though 
they may never need it from the hand of man, all need mercy of 
God continually ; and they shall obtain it. For we may expect 
to be dealt with as we deal with others : James ii. 13. They 
shall obtain sparing mercy : Matt. vi. 14 ; supporting mercy : Ts. 
xli. 2 ; and supplying mercy : Prov. xix. 17. For every act of 
mercy, "they shall obtain mercy \" but not wages: 2 Tim. i. 
16-18. 

We profess to be believers in the Gospel ; it is called a law, and 
has all the requisites of a law ; precepts, with rewards and pun- 
ishments annexed. It prescribes duty, as well as administers 
comfort; and Christ is as much a Kin-- to wh\ as he is a Prophet 
to teach and a Priest to atone for us. We are under his royal 
law of liberty : James ii. S. The Lord is a Faithful Banker; and 
whoever lends to him can never he a Loser j but will always he a 
great gainer. 



262 TO FOEGIVrS'G rXJlTEIES. 

" Say not thou. I will recompense evil ; but wait on the Lord, and he shall 

save thee." — Prov. xx. .: 

Til for evil; is man-like ; to render evil for good, is 
devil-like; but to render good for evil, is God-like. A for- 
giving disposition must always dwell in the Christian's bosom. 
> . I .. " for that is to act be- 

th the dignity of Christian; and it is always better to suf- 
Jer wrong than to do wrong : 1 Per. iii 14. 17. While you are in 
the world, and have to do with the world, you may expect to be 
affronted and troubled by the world: John xvi 33. But a merci- 
ful man is ever ready : exercise mercy ::~vard all; and freely 
i •: reives every repexTax: sa~: J r:;. TTxareTer vx\~Tooa:: 
may receive, always cherish a disposition to forgive them ; and 
: : take vengeance into your own hand; for that belongs to the 
Lord : Eom. xx. 9. Let others say what they may, or do what 
they will; but say not rx.v. I will recompense evil." Never 
so much as lesire it; do not suffer the thought to lodge in 
heart, that when a favorable opportunity presents itself you will 
recompense evil. Never say you will do anything that you can- 
not do in the name of the Lord Jesus ; and ask God's blessing 
upon : Col. iii. 17. " B n the Lord n by faith, and prayer, 

and a humble resignation to his will; whatever befalls you, or 
wha: tl i do, grow not remis- in your attendance upon God: 
Ps. xxvii. 11. Keep up yoni spirits : and let not the wrongs 
suffer draw your mind from God, who has tu ause in his hand ; 
I hi shall ddi Wait on him as your Master; be in 

cons: ;.: it attendance, ready to obey all his commands; wait on 
him as your Saviour ; for he has engaged to deliver and comfort 
Ps. xx v. 3. Think not, that because you do not recompense 
one - i-, that that will expose you to another; for that will not 
e the Base ; the Lord will see to it, that more good shall be 
recc mpenseci : a, than will counterbalance the evil you might 
have sustained : yea. ■■ he skatt save thee ; " come what will of 
those that injure thee: Isa, xxxv. 1. Ixyories are hard to be 
borne ; but resenting them can never remove them ; forgive them, 
and that will cure them. The most effectual mean of destroying 
oureneiair-. is love. 



TO FORGIVING INJURIES. 263 

" If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive 
you." — Matt. vi. 14. 

OCCASIONS of difference will happen, even among Christ's 
disciples ; and therefore, they must be placable, and ready 
to forgive ; therein resembling God, who, for Christ's sake, hath 
forgiven them : Eph. iv. 32. The man who cannot relent toward 
his offending brother, gives a striking proof, that he has never 
relented towards God. They who are forgiven of God, should 
forgive even as God forgives ; sincerely and heartily, readily and 
universally, cheerfully and forever. It is an awful thing for any 
one to pray, as our Lord has taught us, "Forgive us our tres- 
passes, as we forgive them that trespass against us," unless they 
in their hearts freely and fully forgive others. In fact, it is to 
pray that God would not forgive us; seeing we pray that He 
would forgive us, as, or like, we forgive them whom we do not 
forgive: Matt. vi. 15. 

" If ye forgive men their trespasses" the injuries they have done 
you, the evils they have spoken of you, with every other provoca- 
tion, so as to bear no malice, meditate no revenge, and upbraid 
them not, "your heavenly Father will also forgive you" None 
need ever expect to enjoy a sense of God's forgiving love, while 
they cherish an unforgiving spirit toward others. Every Chris- 
tian is under the most sacred obligation to forgive injuries. The 
obligation arises, 1st. From the consideration of his own liability 
to offend, and so to need forgiveness : Gal. vi. 1. 2d. The exam- 
ple of God, which ought to be imitated by us : Matt, xviii. 32, 33. 
And, 3d. That which carries the obligation to its height is God 
has commanded it : Mark xi. 25, 26. Can any quarrel with this 
command as an unreasonable one ? Can any trample upon it 
with impunity? "Will any one rather forego the forgiving love 
of God, than forgive a brother that has injured him? How 
much more has "your heavenly Father" already forgiven you, 
than you are called upon to forgive others? Our sins against 
God are called debts, which we have contracted; and if, when we 
were unable to pay, God so freely forgave our wilful, innumer- 
able, inexcusable debts, surely we ought cheerfully to "forgive 
men their trespasses." 



264 TO PURITY. 

"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or who shall stand in his 
holy place ? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart." — Ps. xxiv. 3, 4. 

OLD Testament saints received inward purity of heart from 
the same fountain, Jesus, and through the same means as 
Ave now do ; faith in him : Zech. xiii. 1. Every institution of 
purification under the law, referred to the Redeemer, the purifier 
of his people. Observe, 

1st. " Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord 9 " David com- 
pares " the hill of the Lord," on which the temple stood, with 
the hills of Bashan, and other high and fruitful hills ; and pre- 
fers it before them ; although it was much smaller, and was not 
covered with flocks and herds as the other hills were : Ps. lxviii. 
15. But it had the pre-eminence above them ; because it was the 
hill where the Lord was graciously pleased to dwell, and manifest 
the tokens of his peculiar presence : Ps. cxxxii. 13, 14. It was 
sometimes called Zion : and was a type of the Gospel-church, 
which is therefore called mount Zion: Ps. lxv. 1; Heb. xii. 22. 
It is much more honorable to be holy in the sight of God, than 
to be great in the sight of the world. There is no way of ascend- 
ing the holy hill but through the humble vale. There is no king- 
dom upon earth comparable to the kingdom of the Eedeemer ; for 
there God dwells ; and every subject is heir to a kingdom: Luke 
xii. 32. "Who shall ascend ? " Those who descend: Matt, xviii. 
4. "Who shall stand in his holy place ? " 

2d. Here is the answer. " He that hath clean hands;" whose 
hands hold on to no sin, having been washed in the fountain 
opened for sin and uncleanness ; and freed from the pollutions of 
this world : 1 Tim. ii. 8. Let no one think of standing in His 
holy place, till he has first washed his hands : Ps. xxvi. 6. But 
it will not do to have a white hand and a black heart ; for we 
must be pure before God, as well as clean before men. " Clean 
hands and a pure heart " must go together. Sinners are the ob- 
jects of God's love ; but sin is the cursed thing that he hates : 
Horn, v. 8. In purity and holiness he delights; and without this, 
no man ever did, or ever shall see the Lord : Heb. xii. 14. This 
purity of heart, with every other needed blessing, has been pur- 
chased for you by Christ Jesus : 1 Cor. i. 30. Be a partaker of 
no sin, but keep thyself pure : 1 Tim. v. 22. 






TO PURITY. 265 

"Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God." — Matt. v. 8. 

HAPPINESS is the legitimate offspring of Holiness. Eelig- 
ion in the head will produce giddiness, unless the heart 
be washed from wickedness : Jer. iv. 14. 

1st. "Blessed are the pure in heart;" yea, it is their present 
blessedness to be children of a holy God ; members of the blessed 
Jesus ; subjects of the holy Spirit's renewing influence ; and 
partakers of a holy faith : Eom. viii. 15-17. Hence, it is natural 
to every holy, new-born soul, to love holiness, as agreeable to the 
perfections of God, and conducive to their own happiness : Ps. 
cxix. 97. How destitute of true blessedness must they be who 
suppose that holiness tends to produce gloominess ! They, and 
they alone, are truly blessed, whose hearts have been washed from 
the pollutions of sin; from worldly lusts; from all unchaste 
desires ; and from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit : Mark vii. 
21-23; and who possess a heart purified by faith in the Lord 
Jesus Christ : Gal. v. 6. Nothing short of an application of the 
blood of Christ, by faith, can make the heart of man clean: 
1 John i. 7. And the only way to keep the heart pure, is, to keep 
it from sin : 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. The pure in heart are blessed now, 
and shall be blessed hereafter. 

2d. " They shall see God" They see him now by an eye of 
faith; and that makes them blessed, even while upon earth: 2 
Cor. iv. 7. It is true, they have but a small degree of blessedness 
while here, when compared with what awaits them, on account 
of their having so imperfect a view of God ; for they can only 
see him like looking at the sun through a dark, thick glass : 1 Cor. 
xiii. 12. But if such a faint sight of God makes a heaven upon 
earth, what a blessed Heaven of heavens must Heaven be, when 
they shall see him as he is ! 1 John iii. 2. A stranger inter- 
meddleth not with the blessedness, the holy joy, and sweet com- 
placency, possessed by " the pure in heart," in bringing forth the 
precious fruits of holiness. Every disciple of Jesus is called to 
the knowledge and enjoyment of this blessedness; it is free for 
all who will seek alter it; and none can be happy without it. 
Do you possess this blessedness? What, then, shall he the deter- 
mining rule of your conduct? Let your heart be pure, and your 
life holy and happy. 



266 TO IMPROVING OUR TALENTS. 

11 In all labor there is profit ; but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury." 
— Prov. xiv. 23. 

ALL talk and no work may appear respectable ; but will 
never prove profitable. As it is in matters which belong 
to the body, so it is with those which concern the soul: — -In 
all labor" whether of the head or the hand, "there is profit." 
Observe. 

1st. "Working without talking is profitable. Industrious people, 
whatever might be their calling, are generally thriving people ; 
and it is the diligent hand that earns and turns the penny. And 
there is nothing more natural, than for those who labor to look 
to their employers for their wages : Dent. xxiv. 14. 15. And all 
who labor in the Lord, may depend upon it their labors shall not 
be forgotten : Heb. vi. 10. The most we can do for the Lord 
is but little ; and that little it is our interest to do ; for our 
religion must consist in work as well as talk ; or we shall not 
profit by it. The man who has to commence business with a 
small capital, must be industrious if he would become rich : 
Prov. x. 4. They who labor in the Lord are united to him, derive 
all their strength from him. are employod by him, and should 
earnestly endeavor to improve the talents they have received of 
him : Luke xix. 13. 

2d. Talking without working "tendeth only to penury ." Great 
talkers are generally little workers \ unless talking is their busi- 
ness. Those that love to talk much of their business, who make 
more noise than work, and waste their time in telling and hearing 
something new, will soon waste what they have ; and learn by 
sad experience, that -the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury." 
In the affairs of our souls, it is true, much may be done by talk- 
ing. Every individual has, at least, one talent, and which he 
should labor to improve. Let those who have a preaching talent, 
faithfully improve it ; while those who have not that talent, 
should do all they can to support those who have ; and labor 
themselves in every other possible way to instruct others. Who- 
ever strives earnestly in prayer will find profit in it ; and a word 
spoken in season to encourage others will be profitable. But our 
religion must not all run off in talking. In improving our talents 
we improve ourselves and others. 



TO IMPROVING OUR TALENTS. 267 

" Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few 
things, I will make thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of thy 
Lord:' — Matt. xxv. 23. 

OUR Lord designs by this parable to show us, that we are all 
the servants of God ; that he has given to each of us what 
he pleases ; and we are in duty bound to improve what we have 
received, whether it be one, two, or five talents, and be satisfied 
with it. The gifts which G-od bestows, and the opportunities he 
affords for our usefulness, are called pounds : Luke xix. 13 ; or 
talents: Matt. xxv. 15. And though he gives to some, more than 
he does to others, yet all ought faithfully to improve what they 
receive. He who improved his two talents met with the same 
kind and honorable approval, "Well done" as the one who had 
improved his five. Each was declared to be a " good and faithful 
servant" A humble believer may be ready to ask, How can I be 
good, when I have no good thing belonging to me ? Rom. vii. 18 ; 
or how can I be a faithful servant, who have proved so unfaithful 
in everything ? and what is it that I have done well ? Notwith- 
standing, the Saviour will say to those who have done good with 
their goods, " Thou hast been faithful over a few things " which I 
have entrusted thee with; and though they were but few, now 
" I will make thee ruler over many things : " Matt. xxiv. 46, 47. 
And since it is impossible for all thy Lord's joy to enter thee, 
" enter thou into the joy of thy Lord : " Rev. i. 5, 6. 

Have you no talent to improve ? not one ? Have you no work 
to do ? Be assured of it, we have all constant works that demand 
our close and serious attention. 1st. Works of piety: such as 
praying and praising; reading and hearing the word of God; 
with all other public, private, and social means of grace. 2d. 
Works of mercy. We are to instruct the ignorant, admonish the 
profane, visit ihe ciok, relieve the needy, com fort the distressed, 
pray for our enemies, do good unto all men, and bless them that 
curse us. 3d. Works of self-denial. To deny ourselves .. hatever 
is sinful, to put off the old man, to mortify the deeds of the 
body, to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts, must be 
our constant omployment. We must in all things do well, to meet 
with a "Wellrdom 



268 TO CONTENTMENT. 

''Let not thine heart envy sinners; but be thou in the fear of the Lord all 
the day long. For surely there is an end ; and thine expectation shall not be 
cut off.' 1 — Prov. xxiii. 17, 18. 

ENVY is one of the devil's brats, and never should be nursed 
by any child of God. The joy of envy is another's wo; 
and the man of envy is never half so blest as when he sees 
a brother fall from wealth to want ; from peace to strife ; from 
honor to reproach ; from mirth to tears ; or when virtue makes a 
slip : Prov. xiv. 30. 

1st. "Let not thine heart envy sinners" who take pleasure in 
their sins ; but rather pity them. "For what good things they 
now have, and for which they barter their all, will shortly be 
taken from them, and they will find they have made a sad bar- 
gain : Matt. xvi. 26. Do not " envy sinners "' their prosperity, 
for that is their only portion : Ps. xvii. 14 ; and that which they 
grow fat on now will poison them in the end : Prov. i. 32. 

2d. "But be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long." Make 
it your daily business to " fear the Lord ; " and while you are 
thus every day employed, you will have neither time nor disposi- 
tion to " envy sinners." While blest with a sense of His love, 
you can have nothing to wish or to fear ; but will be thankful 
for what you have, and willing to want what He is not willing to 
give ; and though you may have a light pocket, that will not 
keep you from a merry heart : Prov. xv. 15, 16. 

3d. "For surely there is an end;" and things will not continue 
long as they now are. "There is an end" to the prosperity of 
the wicked : Ps. lxxiii. 18, 19 ; an end to all their pursuits, profits, 
pleasures, and enjoyments: 1 Cor. vii. 31. "There is an end" 
also to the labors, trials, buffetings, afflictions, and spiritual fight- 
ings, of them that " fear the Lord : " 2 Cor. iv. 17. Our life will 
have an end s Gen. iii. 19. "Whatever our present condition might 
be, we cannot continue in it long. " For surely there is an end ; 
and thine expectation shall not be cut off: " Jer. xxix. 11. What- 
ever God has promised you, shall not only be done, but wonder- 
fully outdone: Eom. xv. 4. Consider the end; make use of the 
means; and press on to the end: Phil, iii, 1, 14. Contentment 
with godliness is great gain. 



TO CONTENTMENT. 269 

"Godliness with contentment is great gain ," — 1 Tim. vi. 6. 

SOMETIMES the term, " godliness," more immediately refers 
to that particular part of religion which concerns our duty 
to God ; but here, we regard it as including the whole of genuine 
religion ; consisting of doctrines, duties, and privileges. They 
who make Christianity a trade, will never find themselves to be 
gainers by it in the end ; but all who closely attend to it as a call- 
ing, will find it a most beneficial one. Many who are strangers to 
godliness, hope to make a gain of it; but all who are acquainted 
with it, know from experience that " Godliness with contentment is 
great gain: " Ps. xxxvii. 16. Godliness and contentment are con- 
stant companions ; for true contentment grows out of real godli- 
ness; and that is the Christian's wealth while in this world: 
Prov. xvi. 16. It is the wisdom of God to give to men not all 
alike, but what seemeth him good ; and it is the wisdom of man 
to be content with what he receives ; and it is " godliness," which 
itself is gain, that makes a man content in every situation : Phil, 
iv. 11. 

A holy man has a heart happy in itself ; bliss in his bosom ; 
counts enough, wealth ; envies none their lot ; his wishes are few, 
and easy to be obtained ; his power bounds his will ; care he has 
none ; doing well is his treasure ; grace is his health ; and 
changes in Providence make no change in him ; for though he 
stays in the world, he lives far above it : Ps. lxxiii. 2o. The only 
true way to gain, is to become a Christian ; and the Christian's 
gain is godliness ; which far exceeds all worldly gain ; and godli- 
ness being accompanied with contentment makes it " great gain :" 
Phil. iii. 7, 8. Past things can never be recalled, and future 
things are in the hand of God ; let us, therefore, be content with 
the things we have: Heb. xiii. 5. Consider, 1st. What good 
things of this life you have. Be they little or much, do you 
deserve them? Lam. iii. 22. Consider, 2<L What spiritual bless- 
ings you have. You have the unchanging love of God fixed upon 
you: Jer. xxxi. 3. You have the life, death, and intercession of 
the Son of God, for your righteousness, sanctification, and redemp- 
tion: 1 Cor. i. 30. You have the Holy Spirit, of Clod, for your 
Guide, Comforter, &c. : Johnxiv, L6, 26. 



CHAPTER III. 

PROMISES TO DUTIES BELONGING TO BOTH TABLES. 
TO THE MEEK. 

" The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among 
men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel." — Isa. xxix. 19. 

HE is the greatest conqueror who has subdued himself. And 
the man who gets and keeps the victory over himself is by 
far a greater victor than was Alexander ; in as much as he quells 
an insurrection at home, which is more glorious than to resist an 
invasion from abroad : Pro v. xvi. 32. 

" The meek" the humble, lowly, and contrite in heart, who 
tremble at G-od's word and make it the rule of their life, are the 
happiest, and most honorable people in the world : Isa. lvii. 15. 
They have joy, to which the world are entire strangers : John 
xiv. 22, 23. The poor in spirit will never be injured by poverty 
in pocket ; for when affliction comes, they will always be able to 
accommodate themselves to it : Job ii. 10. The meek can find 
"joy in the Lord" when there is none to be found in the world ; 
and as they are enabled to rejoice in all their tribulations, when 
deliverance comes they "increase in joy." The best joy the 
world can give, is fading; but a believer's joy in the Lord is 
increasing : Prov. iv. 18. The followers of the meek and lowly 
Jesus, are, in general, "the poor among men;" but their poverty 
shall not deprive them of that joy which is to be had in the Lord : 
Heb. vi. 17, 18 ; for it is promised to the patient : Rom. v. 3 ; the 
humble : Ps. lxix. 32 ; and all such as sutler the will of God : 1 
Pet. v. 10. Meekness cannot fail to increase our happiness. 






TO THE MEEK. 271 

" The ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of 
great price. 11 — 1 Pet. iii. 4. 

FINE feathers make fine birds ; but fine clothes can never 
adorn a naked soul: Eev. iii. 17. Sin stripped the soul 
stark naked ; consequently it needs covering as much, yea, more 
than the body ; although many, while they spare no pains to 
decorate the poor, perishing body, remain careless and uncon- 
cerned about their precious souls ! The silly sheep, and poor silk- 
worm, may furnish our bodies with clothing; but nothing less 
than the righteousness of Christ can clothe the soul : 1 Cor. i. 30; 
Phil. iii. 9. 

The soul's best ornaments are the graces of the Spirit of God ; 
and amongst others, that of " a meek and quiet spirit" Humility, 
Piety, and Prudence, are "ornaments" that never wax old, or 
grow out of fashion, like other ornaments ; and though many 
weak minds think lightly of them, they are " in the sight of God" 
who estimates things according to their true value, of great price : " 
Ps. cxlix. 4. Men may despise such ornaments, but that in no 
way lessens their value ; neither does it make them to look any 
the worse on those who wear them : Ps. xxxvii. 11. Beauty is 
but skin-deep, and soon marred. But if you would wish to appear 
truly beautiful, see to it that you have the hidden man of the heart 
adorned, which can never fail to attract the eye of God : Ps. xxv. 
9. And the heart being rightly clothed, will teach you how to 
dress the body ; and to bear up under all its sufferings : Prov. 
xix. 11. 

By faith the soul is united to Jesus ; abideth in him ; and 
receiveth out of his fulness grace for grace. Faith worketh by 
love ; and love maketh the heart comfortable, and conformable 
to his laws. By daily fellowship with God our Saviour, we be- 
come more and more conformed to his lovely likeness. By con- 
stantly conversing with Jesus, love is maintained in the heart; 
and "a meek and quiet spirit" ever accompanies love. As we 
love to see our children well-dressed, so doth Hie Lord greatly 
rejoice overall his dear children in Christ Jesus ; and is highly 
pleased with their dress, which is the Spotless robe oi' his Son's 
righteousness; and with their ornaments, the graces of his Spirit. 



272 TO THE HUMBLE. 

"Though the Lord be high, yet he hath respect unto the lowly." — Ps. 
cxxxviii. 6. 

a^HE way to get up high is to come clown low. Those who 
- patiently bear contempt from wicked men, shall be respected 
by God and all good men : Prov. xvi. 19. 

" Though the Lord be high/ 7 and independent of all his creatures, 
he is not unmindful of them ; and such is the favor he bears to 
the humble, that he never forgets their cry : Ps. ix. 12. Guard 
against pride as a thing unbecoming your character ; a disgrace 
to your profession ; a dishonor to your Saviour ; a badge of Sa- 
tan's livery ; a fruit of the flesh ; and contrary to the Spirit. 
And though the proud may despise the humble, " yet the Lord 
hath respect unto them : " Prov. xxix. 23. " Though the Lord be 
high;" though his being and perfections are exalted infinitely 
above every creature, not only high above all that they can have, 
but above all that they can conceive concerning him, "yet hath he 
respect unto the lowly" He is the high and lofty One, higher than 
the highest : Eccl. v. 8. Yea, He is higher than the highest 
heavens : Ps. cxiii. 4 ; and Lord alone : 2s~eh. ix. 5, 6. Yet, He 
is not so high but he can stoop so low as to respect the lowly ; 
and is so well pleased with them, that he deigns to bow over the 
battlements of heaven, to cast a gracious look upon them : Isa. 
lvii. 15. And even while he has heaven for his throne, and 
earth for his footstool, He overlooks both to look and smile 
upon them : Isa. lxvi. 1, 2. ec He hath respect " unto the humble 
penitent, and accepts of him ; while he looks at the proud afar off. 

Those who scorn to be beholding to the grace of God, expose 
themselves to the scorn of the God of grace : Prov. iii. 34. But 
those who humble themselves to bear the cross, shall be exalted 
to wear the crown : 2 Tim. iv. 8. The surest way to become rich 
and honorable, is to become poor and contemptible : Prov. xxii. 
4. The humblest sinners make the brightest saints : Job xxii. 
29. Say, Christian, is the love of God in Christ Jesus the source 
of all present grace, and the security of future glory ? Surely 
this ought to sink us low and keep us humble ! yet, it should 
excite hope and keep us rejoicing in the Kedeemer. 






TO THE HUMBLE. 273 

"He that humbleth himself shall be exalted." — Luke xviii. 14. 

WHEN we come before God it should be in our rags ; and 
not in our robes : Prov. xi. 2. The proud hypocrite justi- 
fies himself ; but God justifies the humble sinner : Luke xviii. 13, 
14. Humbleness, or humility, consists in having low thoughts 
of ourselves, and a sense of our weakness and unworthiness, and 
acting accordingly : James iv. 6. In this frame of mind we imi- 
tate God, who, though high, humbleth himself; that is, conde- 
scends to look upon and care for all his creatures : Ps. cxiii. 6 ; 
and imitate Christ, who is meek and lowly ; and who for our 
sakes, condescends to make himself of no reputation: Phil. ii. 
6-8. This temper is highly pleasing to God; and prepares us 
for further degrees of fellowship with him, and blessings from 
him : Prov. xxii. 4. 

" He that humbleth himself" under a sense of the greatness of 
his sins, becomes subject to God; and by Him "shall be exalted:" 
Prov. xxix. 23. Humility evinces its subject to be a child of 
God ; and is joined with peace, contentment, and resignation to 
the will of God : James iv. 6, 10. A sense of our nothingness 
grows out of an acquaintance with ourselves ; and is a temper of 
soul that prepares for an increase of faith. " He that humbleth 
himself " may appear least among men ; but he shall be greatest 
in the kingdom of heaven : Matt, xviii. 4. He shall be exalted 
into the favor and family of God : John i. 12. He shall have the 
privilege of holding converse with God ; as a child with a father ; 
and when he shall come of age, be exalted as high as the throne 
of God: Horn. viii. 14-18. It is the free and eternal love of God 
which is the source of every blessing we receive from him : Rom. 
xi. 6; for we have nothing of our own, but sin; and nothing in 
which we can boast, but the cross of Christ: Gal. vi. 14. What 
have we to be proud of? It is impossible for a proud sinner and 
a holy God ever to be reconciled: for God resisteth the proud, as 
being enemies both to him and his: 1 Pet. v. 6. The first step 

toward heaven is humility; and every Succeeding step must be 

humility. Humility makes men to look like angels; and the 
want of it made angels to become devils: Jude 6. A. Christian 
never looks so well as when fully clothed with humility from 

lead tO loot. 



274 TO THE CONTRITE AND MOUKNERS. 

" The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart ; and saveth such 
as be of a contrite spirit/ 1 — Ps. xxxiv. 18. 

MANY love to sin with. David, while but few love to repent 
with him : Ps. xli. 4. No prayers, no tears, no duties, no 
conditions, can heal the wound that sin has made ; no, our best 
works and holiest duties are stained with pollution ; nothing but 
the blood of the Lamb can bring peace to the conscience, and 
healing to the soul : John i. 29. As Christ's body was broken 
for our sins, so should our hearts be broken on account of our sins. 

" The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; " not- 
withstanding, they may think to the contrary, and suppose that 
their crimes are of so flagrant a nature, and their sins of so deep 
a dye, that the Lord will not have mercy on them ; and that, in 
consequence of their having sinned against so much light and 
love, God has taken an everlasting flight, and will no more return 
to have compassion on them : Ps. Ixxvii. 7-9. It is God alone 
can make the hard heart to become soft : Job xiii. 16. And when 
the Lord causes the heart to be broken on account of sin, He is 
always nigh to have compassion on the penitent sinner : Lam. iii. 
32, 33. His mercy endureth forever; which is a good reason 
why mourning cannot last long : Ps. ciii. 17. You may have 
broken many promises, and the thought of your faithlessness may 
break your heart ; but let it not cause you to despair ; for God 
will never break his : Heb. vi. 18. 

" The Lord is nigh unto you; " not only as a looker-on, but as a 
helper ; " and savelh such as be of a contrite spirit" He supports 
and comforts them, lest their spirits should become too much 
broken : Isa. lvii. 15. They whose hearts are truly broken, that 
is, humbled, wounded, pained, and troubled, at the sight of their 
sins, shall assuredly be saved from their sins; for he saveth 
such : Ps. li. 17. There is balm in Gilead ; and He will heal 
every wound that sin has made ; and bind up the broken, bleed- 
ing heart : Ps. cxlvii. 3. For mourning, he will give singing ; 
and for sorrow, laughter : Eccl. vii. 4. Go humbly to the Lord ; 
confess your sin with all its aggravation; use the Publican's plea, 
" God be merciful to me a sinner ! " and you will find him more 
faithful and just to forgive your sins, than you are to confess 
them. 



TO THE CONTEITE AND MOUENERS. 275 

"Blessed are the poor in spirit : for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." — 
Matt. v. 3. 

POVERTY in the spirit is better than gold in the pocket. 
Consider, 1st. Who are the "poor in spirit?" Among men, 
those are counted poor, who are destitute of what this world calls 
good. And the "poor in spirit" are those who have no riches 
spiritually; and being sensible of their lost and undone condi- 
tion, they labor under great dejection, and are ready to say, 
" Even in laughter my heart is sorrowful ; and the end of mirth 
is heaviness : " Pro v. xiv. 13. They behold themselves as desti- 
tute of every spiritual good. Such are the " poor in spirit." 2d. 
What is the kingdom of heaven ? " Neither shall they say, Lo 
here ! or Lo there ! for behold, the kingdom of God is within 
you : " Luke xvii. 21. Jesus Christ himself is emphatically 
called " the kingdom of heavex : " Matt. iii. 2, 3. And it is 
very hard for those who fancy themselves rich, to deny them- 
selves and enter this kingdom ; to strip themselves, and, by 
putting on the Lord Jesus Christ, to be found clothed in his 
righteousness : 1 Cor. i. 30. " Theirs is the kingdom of heaven." 
3d. How did the kingdom of heaven become the property of the 
" poor in spirit ? " Observe, it does not say, theirs shall be, but 
" theirs is the kingdom of heaven." How came it theirs ? By 
the love of God, and the gift of God. "For God so loved the 
world that he gave them his only begotten Son:" John iii. 1G. 
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us:" 
1 John iv. 10. And, 4th. In what their blessedness consists? 
" Blessed arm the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of 
heaven." Thus it is evident, the possession of Christ is the cause 
of their blessedness ; they are blessed in the enjoyment of him. 
They axe blessed in Christ Jesus with all spiritual blessings. He 
is their wisdom, righteousness, Banctification, and redemption: 1 
('or. i. 30, Jesus is unto them all they need; and his church is 
made upof humble, self-abased, contrite souls. 

A man must be emptied of self, before he can be filled with 
Christ; he must, become " poor in spirit " before he can become 
rich in grace: James iv. 6 H>. Anv man who lives beneath the 
dignity of a Christian is poor-spirited. 



276 TO THEM THAT SUFFER FOE 

"Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word ; Your brethren 
that hated you, cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glori- 
fied ; but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed '." — Isa. lxvi. 5. 

TTEBEj Christian, is a preface that demands your serious 

J — L attention. " Hear the word of the Lord; " whether you be 
rich or poor, bond or free : both far and near, give it your most 
serious attention. " Ye that tremble at his word." from a sense of 
the authority and holiness of it ; and choose rather to suffer than 
violate it ; and are under a holy awe of the purity and goodness 
of the Lord : Jer. xxxiii. 9. Listen attentively. •'■' Your brethren 
that hated you." hated me before they hated you : John xv. 18. 
Notwithstanding, they strive to make it appear that they loved 
you : but your conduct was so base, and they were so pious, they 
were compelled to "cast you out for my name's sake." The truly 
pious, who endeavor in all things to glorify God. who reverence 
his word, and make it alone their only rule of faith and practice. 
have ever found hypocrites and rotten professors to be their most 
cruel persecutors, and vent all their rage under the cloak of relig- 
ion : 1 Pet. iv. 12. It is nothing new. or uncommon, for those 
who are farthest from God. to boast of living nearest the church : 
and to cast out those who live nearest to God. Our Lord told his 
disciples the icorld would hate them : John xv. 19 : but he never 
told them that the world would kill them ; 0. no : he well knew 
it would take a professor of religion to do that. Hence, he says. 
•• They shall put you out of their synagogues : yea. the time 
cometh. that whosoever killeth you. will think that he doeth 
God see vice : " John xvi. 2. Though it is evident that such are. 
not only of the world, but the worst part of the world ; still they 
are not so called : neither do they consider themselves such : for 
when they persecute and cast out their brethren, they very 
devoutly say. "Let the Lord be glorified! 93 It is a lamentable 
fact, that owing to unsound professors having too frequently the 
rule in churches, the whole artillery of church-censures are lev- 
elled against her best friends. And such is their blind zeal, that 
they, according to conscience, persecute the followers of God with 
all the formalities of true devotion: Ps. xiv. 6. But "He shall 
appear to your joy. and they shall be ashamed." 



righteousness' sake. 277 

"Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate 
you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as 
evil for the Son of man's sake." — Luke vi. 22. 

IT matters but little who speaks ill of you, so long as God 
speaks well of you. Whatever might be the believer's con- 
dition, it is always a blessed condition ; for all things work 
together for their internal and eternal good: Eom. viii. 28. 
Christ is a precious Master to serve ! and all who have tried his 
service have proved it. A righteous cause may have brought 
you into suffering, and the anathemas of men may be flying thick 
around you, but let not that disturb you ; for your Lord declares, 
" Blessed are ye" But remember, it is faith that brings God, 
and Christ, and heaven, and happiness into the soul ; for though 
you cannot live without trials, faith will enable you to live above 
them: Eom. i. 17. "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you" 
It may seem a distressed case, for men to hate you ; but, however 
others may look at it, do you consider it a blessed state to be in ; 
for such the Saviour calls it. "Blessed are ye," inasmuch as you 
are having all the evil things you ever will have, and are highly 
honored, in having such an opportunity afforded you of glorify- 
ing Christ : Acts v. 41 ; and of enjoying the special visits and 
comforts of his grace : 2 Cor. i. 5. " And when they shall separate 
you from their company" as one altogether unworthy their society; 
and shall look upon you as the offscouring of all things, and the 
filth of the world, even then, " blessed are ye : " 1 Cor. iv. 13. 
And when, to justify their cruel and hateful conduct towards 
you, they "shall reproach you" by giving you a most disgraceful 
character, saying all that hatred can invent against you; "blessed 
arc ye." You cannot serve Christ faithfully without giving 
offence; offences will come; but never be offended with them. 
And when men are offended at you, and hate, and separate you 
from their company, and reproach you, "and cast out your name 
asevili 1 think it not Btiange; for so persecuted they the prophets 
which werr before you, both in time and example: Matt. v. 12, 
Only l)e careful to know that it is "f&r the 8on of man 9 * sake." 

Take up the cross that lies in your way, hut never pull one down 
upon your head. 



273 TO PATIENCE AM) SUBMISSION. 

■• The hope of the righteous shall be gladness/' — Prov. x. 25. 
TT T E should patiently endure the ills we cannot cure. The 
\ > Scriptures assure as, "There are none righteous, no, not 
one : " Eorn. iii 10. Yet. we must so receive this testimony as 
to correspond with other declarations of the word of God : for 
His word must not be held up as contradictory. As none are 
righteous in the sight of God. who keep not the whole law. and 
nothing is more evident than that all have sinned. Eom. v. 12. 
and violated the law. 1 John iii. 4. it follows, that Jesus Christ, 
and Jesus Christ alone, is the righteous man of the Scriptures ; 
and that, as many as put on the Lord Jesus Christ, are con- 
sidered as righteous in his righteousness: Jer. xxiii. 6; xxxiii. 
10 : Eom. iv. 0-S. 

It generally happens that the righteous have but little in hand, 
though they have much in hope: Eom. viii. 21. 25. They have 
a firm expectation of all that will be good for them in time and 
eternity. And their hope is founded, not on mere supposition, 
or the word of changeable man. but on the promises, relations, 
and perfections of God: Ps. lxxxiv. 11: and the righteou- 
and intercession of Christ : 1 John iii. 2. 3. " The hope of the 

te&us" is called "the hope of the gospel;' 3 as it is begotten 
by gospel-means, and is founded on the gracious promises and 
assurances contained in the gospel : Col. i. 23. It is a good hope 
built on a good foundation: 2 Th-ss. ii. 10; has a good obj 
1 Tim. i. 1 : and in the end u skak iness : *' Col. i. 5. •• The 

righteous" have a lively hope, springing from a spiritual life: 
which renders them lively, active and useful : 1 Pet. i. 3. And 
all their hopes shall be realized to their unspeakable comfort. 
Phil. i. 21. 22. The strongest comforts that the world can afford, 
are far too weak to support the soul under persecutions, tenipta- 

s 3 and death: but the -hope of the righteous " is sr^; Ifast . 
^o that, l rorst of times, they have a believing confidence 

in God. which keeps them from despair : Ps. xlii. 5. " The hope 
of the righteous " is their anchor in the storm: and shall be 
gladness when the storm is over. Spiritual pleasures they now 

:: and endles - are prepared for them, and shall be 

enjoyed by them : Ps. xcvii. 11. 




" If when you do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently.' ■ — Page 279. 



TO PATIENCE AND SUBMISSION. 279 

"If when you do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is accepta- 
ble with God." — I Pet. ii. 20. 

WELL-DOING will not exempt you from suffering ; but it is 
good to suffer in a good cause : 1 Pet. iii. 14. A lively 
faith begets a cheerful heart ; a joyful hope makes a resigned 
soul ; and a humble mind produceth a patient spirit. 

" If when you do well" you should find that no security from the 
malice and mischief of men, but, on the contrary, have to " suffer 
for it" let it not cause you to grow weary in well-doing ; nor give 
you any uneasiness ; seeing your labor of love shall not be for- 
gotten : Heb. vi. 10. " Ye have need of patience ; " for you have 
enemies the most trying and provoking to contend with ; and 
trials to endure that will bring all your graces into a lively exer- 
cise : Heb. x. 36. Endeavor to keep a conscience void of offence 
toward God and man ; and then fear nothing you may be called 
to suffer : Acts xxiv. 16. Bow in humble submission to the rod ; 
bearing in mind, that to suffer for well-doing, the cause of truth, 
or any part of a Christian's duty, should be considered a great 
honor : Acts v. 41, 42. What you may be called to endure may 
be attended with a little pain, but shall be followed by great 
pleasure ; and though you may suffer little, you will gain much, 
if you " take it patiently : " Eom. viii. 35-37. Let not the great- 
ness of your sufferings ever discourage you : 2 Tim. ii. 12 ; or the 
number of your enemies frighten you : 1 Pet. iii. 14. For though 
you may not be able to face them, bear in mind, that your ene- 
mies are God's enemies, and He is more than a match for them, 
and will not suffer them to hurt you, though they may be per- 
mitted to annoy you : Acts xviii. 10. Satan will take advantage 
of your distress ; and no marvel if he cast the same dart at you 
that he threw at your divine Lord : " If thou be the Son of God," 
why doth thy loving Father suffer such distress and affliction to 
come upon thee ? Faith can answer every objection. "Shall 
not the Judge of all the earth do right ? " Yea, for He cannot do 
wrong. By faith we stand; by patience we endure. Christ was 
patient under all his weight of Sufferings ; do von, as a Christian, 
copy alter his example ; and suffer patiently. 



280 TO PEBSEVEKANCE. 

" The righteous shall hold on his way ; and he that hath clean hands shall 
be stronger and stronger." — Job xvii. 9. 

CONTINUANCE in the truth is the touchstone of faith. 
Jesus is precious only to them that believe : 1 Pet. ii. 7. 
There are, however, many who profess his word, but not being 
his disciples indeed, they will not continue long ; and will follow 
him but a short distance. All such, never having beheld them- 
selves as wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked, 
they but lightly esteem the Saviour. Little things soon put them 
to a stand. But, observe, 

1st. " The righteous" who are truly sensible that they have no 
wisdom, no righteousness, no sanctification, no redemption, but 
what they have in Christ, will highly prize him ; and every such 
one " shall hold on his ivay : " 1 Cor. i. 30. All who are truly 
righteous, are known by their walking in the ways of righteous- 
ness : Ps. xxiii. 3. " The righteous " are all on a journey from 
this world to a better : Heb. xi. 16 ; and so very difficult is some 
part of their way, that, sometimes, they stumble, and would 
assuredly tumble was it not for their Guide : Ps. xxxvii. 23, 24. . 
At other times, they are exposed to great dangers from enemies 
waylaying them : Ps. xxxviii. 12 ; and, perhaps, about the same 
time, their way becomes so dark, that they cannot see one inch 
before them : Isa. 1. 10 ; still, so far are they from thinking of 
turning, that each one perseveres, and " holds on his way." Diffi- 
culties and dangers may present themselves, and the enemy may 
suggest that it is useless to proceed, for one day or other he will 
assuredly fall ; and, therefore, might as well give up at first as at 
last. But he does not stand deliberating whether it is best to 
proceed or return ; for, having no armor for the back, he looks to 
his God, and " holds on his way : " 1 Sam. ii. 9. 

2d. " He that hath clean hands " may make himself easy about 
his feet ; for so long as he walks in the path of duty, he need 
have no fears as to his safety : Ps. xxxvii. 31. One who has been 
made sick of sin will endeavor to keep his hands clean from sin ; 
and by looking upon the trials and afflictions of others who feared 
God, and seeing how they were supported under, and delivered 
from them, he grows " stronger." 



TO PERSEVERANCE. 281 

" Let us not be weary in well-doing ; for in due season we shall reap, if we 
faint not." — Gal. vi. 9. 

(CHRISTIANS; who have had so much good done for them, 
J should never grow tired in doing good to others : 1 Cor. xv. 
58. Not a crumb of comfort, or a drop of cold water, given in 
the name of Christ to one of his disciples, shall be forgotten by 
him. 

1st. " Let us not be weary in well-doing ; " for it is easier to do 
well, than to do ill ; but still, owing to the opposition we find in 
our own nature, as also from the many hindrances we meet from 
a persecuting, malicious, and gainsaying world, there is a danger 
of becoming " weary in well-doing : " 2 John 8, 9. We are called, 
not to loiter, but to labor ; not to stand idle, but to work ; not 
merely to talk of Christ, but to follow him in precept and example. 
The wise Disposer of all events, in the distribution of his provi- 
dence, has given much of this world's goods to some, that they 
might have an opportunity of doing good to others : Deut. xv. 
10, 11; as also, to try the faith and patience of the poor: James 
i. 2-4. Instead of being weary, and thinking, because we have 
repeatedly done good, that we are not to do so again, let us seek 
for fresh opportunities to do good ; resting assured that we can 
never do too much : 2 Cor. ix. 6-8. For, 

2d. " In clue season we shall reap " the blessing of God upon 
that which we have : Isa. lviii. 7, 8 ; and also, the blessings and 
benefit of their prayers to whom we have done good; while we 
shall reap the solid satisfaction of having done that which was 
pleasing to God, and beneficial to our fellow-men ; and which can- 
not fail to be a never-failing spring of peace and consolation unto 
us: Isa. lviii. 10, 11. The husbandman does not expect to reap 
a good harvest without ploughing and sowing; yet he is encour- 
aged to perform his daily toil with cheerfulness, by the hope of 
reaping "in due season." Let us, then, labor with all our might, 
doing whatever labor our hands may find to do; knowing that 
we also "shall reap in due 4 season if we faint not:" Luke vi. 38. 
We must not grow weary and withdraw from well-doing, or we 
shall both lose our harvest, and fche Beed we have already sown: 
Matt. x. 2'2. Our reward may be Long delayed, but it. will come. 



CHAPTER IV. 

PROMISES RELATING TO THE STATE OF THE CHURCH: 

OS THE EXLAEGEAIEXT OF THE CHURCH. 

" In that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign 
of the people ; to it shall the Gentiles seek ; and his rest shall be glorious. " — 
Isa. xi. 10. 

CHRISTIANS never need expect any favor from worldlings : 
John xv. 19. They ought, therefore, as one family, to be 
united among themselves, that they might assist and protect each 
other : John xiii. 35. " In that day." the day of Christ the Saviour. 
"there shall be a root of Jesse : " Rom. xv. 12 ; and though many 
look upon him as -a root out of dry ground:*' Isa. liii. 2: he 
shall rise a nourishing branch out of Jesse's root. He is the root 
of David: Rev. v. 5; and the offspring of David: Rev. xxii. 16. 
• • TT7< ich sh al! sta n d fo r a n e n s ion of th e people. ' ' Ensigns. Banners, 
i Standards, are colors borne in time of war. for assembling, 
distinguishing, directing, and encouraging the people. When the 
Israelites were in the wilderness, every tribe had its particular 
ensign : by the which the several tribes were collected. &c. Christ 
was raised as an •• ehbiop of the people." And the blessed Jesus 
said, :i And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men 
unto me : n John xii. 32. He was lifted up on the cross, and 
afterwards commissioned his disciples to go forth, and hold him 
up to the people on the pole of the Gospel ; to animate them on 
their journey; to encourage and embolden them in their warfare 
against Sin. the World, the Flesh, and the Devil ; and hence. He 
is called, an "ehsign of the people : " Isa. xi. 12. " To it shall 
the Gentiles see);.'' The banner of his love excites, directs, pro- 
tects, and encourages his army in their warfare against sin; and 
when every foe is subdued, "his rest shall be glorious." 



OF THE ENLABGEMENT OF THE CHURCH. 283 

"/ say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall 
sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." — 
Matt. viii. 11. 

THUS saith the Lord. " And I will bless them that bless 
thee, and curse them that curse thee ; and in thee shall all 
families of the earth be blessed : Gen. xii. 3. Ask of Hie, and 
I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the utter- 
most parts of the earth for thy possession : Ps. ii. 8. All the 
ends of the earth shall remember and turn unto the Lord ; and 
all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For 
the kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the Governor among the 
nations : Ps. xxii. 27, 28. That thy way may be known upon 
earth, thy saving health among all nations : Ps. lxvii. 2. Thy 
people shall be willing in the day of thy power : Ps. ex. 3. He 
shall have dominion, also, from sea to sea, and from the river 
unto the ends of the earth : Ps. lxxii. 8. Princes shall come out 
of Egypt ; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God : 
Ps. lxviii. 31. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him ; all 
nations shall serve him : Ps. lxxii. 11. All nations whom thou 
hast made shall come and worship before thee, Lord ; and shall 
glorify thy name : Ps. lxxxvi. 9. His name shall endure forever ; 
his name shall be continued as long as the sun ; and men shall be 
blessed in him ; all nations shall call him blessed : Ps. lxxii. 17. 
God shall bless us ; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him : 
Ps. lxvii. 7. Let the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen 
and Amen." 

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain 
of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the moun- 
tains, and shall be exalted above the hills ; and all nations shall 
flow unto it : Isa. ii. 2. Every valley shall be exalted, and every 
mountain and hill shall be made low ; and the crooked shall be 
made straight, and rough places plain ; and the glory of the Lord 
shall be revealed, and all flesh shall Bee it together ; for the mouth 
of the Lord hath Bpoken it : Isa. xl. 1. 5. I have sworn by myself, 
the word has gone out of my month in righteousness, and shall 
not return. That nnto me every knee shall bow, every tongue 

shall swear:" Isa. xlv. 'j:\. Lord, hasten that happy period! 



284 OF THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE CHURCH. 

"/ will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my 
salvation unto the ends of the earth." — Isa. xlix. 6. 

THIS is truly good news ! the best that ever came from heaven 
to earth : Luke ii. 10. 11. Hear ye the word of the Lord ! 
'• And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my ser- 
vant, to raise up the tribes of Judah, and to restore the preserved 
of Israel ; I will also give thee as a light to the Gentiles, that 
thou mayest be my salvation unto the ends of the earth : Isa. 
xlix. 6. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee 
with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee as a 
bride cloeth : ver. 18. A law shall proceed from me, and I will 
make my judgment to rest for a light of the people. My right- 
eousness is near ; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall 
judge the people ; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm 
shall they trust : Isa. Ii. 4, 5. The Lord hath made bare his holy 
arm in the eyes of all the nations ; and all the ends of the earth 
shall see the salvation of our God : Isa. lii. 10. The Redeemer 
shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression 
in Jacob, saith the Lord : Isa. lix. 20. Behold, I have given him 
for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. 
Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations 
that knew not thee shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy 
God, and for the Holy One of Israel ; for he hath glorified thee : 
Isa. lv. 4, 5. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, 
he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure 
of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail 
of his soul and be satisfied : Isa. liii. 10, 11. The Gentiles shall 
come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising : Isa. 
Ix. 3. Who hath heard such a thing ? who hath seen such things ? 
shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day ? or shall a 
nation be born at once ? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought 
forth her children : Isa. lxvi. 8. And in the days of these kings 
shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be 
destroyed ; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but 
it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it 
shall stand forever : Dan. ii. 44. Who are these that fly as a 
cloud," &c. : Isa. Ix. 8, 






OF THE ENLARGEMENT OF THE CHURCH. 285 

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." — 
John xii. 32. 

THOUGH many of all nations reject Christ, his church will 
be made up of believers of all nations. 
"And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a king- 
dom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him ; 
his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass 
away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed : Dan. 
vii. 14. And many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that 
day, and shall be my people ; and I will dwell in the midst of 
thee ; and thou shalt know that the Lord of hosts hath sent me 
unto thee : Zech. ii. 11. And the Lord shall be King over all the 
earth ; in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one : 
Zech. xiv. 9. And in every place incense shall be offered unto 
my name, and a pure offering ; for my name shall be great among 
the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts : Mai. i. 11. And this gos- 
pel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a wit- 
ness unto all nations ; and then shall the end come : Matt. xxiv. 
14. And they shall all be taught of God : John vi. 45. After 
those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their mind, 
and write them in their hearts ; and I will be to them a God, and 
they shall be to me a people ; and they shall not teach every man 
his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; 
for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest : Heb. viii. 
10, 11. At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things 
in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth ; and 
that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the 
glory of God the Father : Phil. ii. 10, 11. I beheld, and lo, a 
great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and 
kindred, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and 
before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their 
hands; Rev. vii. 9. And I heard a loud voice Baying in heaven, 
Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our 
God, and the power of his Christ ; for the accuser of our brethren 
is cast down which accused them before QUI God day and night: 

Rev. xii. 10. And the seventh angel sounded; and there were 

great voices in heaven, savin--. The kingdoms of this world." 
&c. : Rev. xi. lo. 



286 OF THE GLOEY OF THE CHURCH. 

"Glorious things are spoken of thee, city of God." — Ps. lxxxvii. 3. 

MUCH has been said against the church by her enemies ; who 
delight in saying all manner of evil of her : Acts xxviii. 
22. But the testimony of the wicked, we know, is not to be 
taken in this case ; we have therefore to hear what the Scriptures 
say of her. And there we find so many "glorious things spoken 
of her" that we scarcely know where to begin, when to leave off, 
or how to admire her enough; much less can we sufficiently 
adore the goodness of that God, who could bestow so much love 
upon her when she was so greatly defiled : Ezek. xvi. 5-14. The 
Gospel Church is " spoken of " as God's beloved : Ps. lx. 5 ; His 
adopted sons : Gal. iv. 5 ; His peculiar people : 1 Pet. ii. 9 ; His 
friends : James ii. 23 ; His family : Eph. iii. 15 ; His heirs : Kom. 
viii. 17; His heritage: Jer. xii. 7; His jewels: Ma! iii. 17; His 
treasure : Ps. cxxxv. 4 ; His princes : 1 Sam. ii. 8 ; His building : 
1 Cor. iii. 9; His dearly beloved : Jer. xii. 7; The king's daughter: 
Ps. xlv. 13 ; Children of the kingdom : Matt. xiii. 38 ; Assembly 
of saints : Ps. lxxxix. 7 ; Flock of God : Acts xx. 28 ; Fold of 
Christ : John x. 16 ; Inhabitants of Zion : Isa. xii. 6 ; Joy of the 
whole earth: Ps. xlviii. 2; Light of the world: Matt. v. 14; 
Bride, the Lamb's wife : Rev. xxi. 9 ; &c, &c. 

Yea, such " glorious things are spoken of" the church of Christ, 
that one half can never be told. Moreover, it is said, "the glory 
of the Lord is risen upon her : " Isa. lx. 1, 2. And that the Lord 
shall be her everlasting light and glory: Isa. lx. 19. And she 
shall be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal 
diadem in the hand of her God : Isa. lxii. 2, 3. She is spoken of 
as the City of God," because he planned, built, and peopled it, 
and governs, defends, and dwells in her: Heb. xii. 22. She is 
called a "great city," on account of her extent, and great number 
of her members : Eev. xxi. 10. She is called a " holy city," on 
account of her Founder, members, and laws, being all holy: 
Eev. xi. 2. 

"The King's daughter is all glorious within; her clothing is 
of wrought gold:" Ps. xlv. 13. The joy of the whole earth is 
Mount Zion : Ps. xlviii. 2. Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, 
God hath shined. 




"Glorious things arc spoken of thee, City of God ! "—Page 288. 



OF THE GLOBY OF THE CHUECH. 287 

"And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: 
for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." — Kev. 
xxi. 23. 

LANGUAGE is so weak, that there is both a want of words, 
and a want in words, when any member of the church at- 
tempts to describe the glory of it. For even while in her militant 
state, or state of suffering and war, she is said to be " clothed 
with the sun, the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown 
of twelve stars : " Kev. xii. 1. And being thus clothed with the 
righteousness of Jesus, she stands upon the world, looking upon 
it as a country not worthy her affections, and hastens homeward, 
to the " city which has no need of the sun." Heaven is that city, 
to which the church is ever tending; and whose Builder and 
Defender is God : Heb. xi. 10-16. While travelling to her native 
city, the church is frequently called to pass through great con- 
flicts ; and her path sometimes becomes so dark, that it is with 
difficulty she can proceed : Isa. 1. 10. But when she joins the 
church above, she will find that such is the glory of that city 
where they dwell, they "have no need of the sun:" Isa. lx. 19. 
We need not the light of a candle while we are walking in the 
light of the noon-day sun. And such will be the bright and daz- 
zling glory proceeding from God and the Lamb upon the re- 
deemed, that the sun would be totally eclipsed by it. " Neither 
of the moon " have they any need ; for there shall be " no night 
there : " Kev. xxii. 5. "For the glory of God" which is continu- 
ally shining forth without a veil, doth " lighten it : " Kev. xxi. 11. 
"And the Lamb" the true Light, which lighteth every man that 
cometh into the world, John i. 9, " is the light thereof; " so that, 
to be where the Lamb is, is to be in light, whether it be in heaven 
or in a dungeon : Luke ii. 32 ; John viii. 12. 

Who would not be willing to suffer with Christ on earth, to 
reign with him in heaven? Rom. viii. 17. The church will soon 
exchange her reproach, for honor ; her tears, for joy ; her shame, 
for glory; her cross, for a crown. "And God shall wipe away 
all tears from their eyes ; and there shall be no more death, 
neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." 



288 OF THE INCREASE OF KNOWLEDGE. 

" They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that 
murmured, shall learn doctrine." — Isa. xxix. 24. 

TTTE may venture to affirm, that ignorance is the cause of 
V V wickedness ; for if men were fully convinced of the great 
evil of sin. the good they lost, and the misery they procured by 
it. they would never delight in it. Wonderful have been the 
revolutions already brought about by the light of the Gospel ; and 
indeed, it was sent to make blind men to see ; the lame to walk ; 
the poor to become rich ; the captive to go free ; the sorrowful 
to rejoice ; and the dead to live : Luke iv. 18. Observe, 

1st. u They also that erred in spirit," who misunderstood the 
things that were written, consequently rested under great mis- 
takes and misapprehensions concerning them, "shall come to 
understanding : r Isa. xxix. 18. The Spirit of truth shall be given 
them, to rectify all their mistakes, and enlighten their minds, so 
as to bring them to understand those things that belong to their 
peace ; and they shall be led into all truth : John xvi. 13. Those 
who are ignorant of the truths of God, are very apt to quarrel 
and find fault with them, and condemn them because they are 
unacquainted with them : John vi. 60. 

2d. u They that murmured shall learn doctrine; n and that will put 
a stop to all their murmuring ; for as soon as they learn the true 
meaning of the doctrines contained in the Bible, they will be 
well satisfied with, and find no cause to complain of them: Ps. 
cxix. 128, 165. This ought to encourage every member of the 
church to look forward to, and pray for. the coming of the day 
when those that have erred in spirit, and are still deceived, shall 
be brought to a proper understanding : Isa. xxv. 6, 7. We should 
never think that God frowns, because his providence is cross ; or 
that the sun has gone out, because the sky looks dark : James v. 
10, 11. We have cause to lament, that many remain so ignorant 
and dark, with the book of wisdom and light in their hand ; but 
we have cause to rejoice, that knowledge shall increase : Dan. 
xii. 4. The knowledge of the Lord must increase. " The earth 
shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover 
the sea : " Isa. xi. 9. 



OF THE INCREASE OF KNOWLEDGE. 289 

"And they shall be all taught of God." — John vi. 45. 
"VTATUKE teaches all to wander from God; but has never 
JL-N taught one the way to him : 1 Cor. i. 21. All whom God 
teaches are well taught ; for he teaches men to know themselves 
as sinners ; that, finding their need of a Saviour, they might flee 
to the only hope, which he, in his infinite wisdom, has set before 
them in the Gospel : Heb. vi. 18. And having opened their eyes 
to see themselves, He draws them by the cords of his love, shows 
them the relations in which He stands to them, and what he has 
done for them, in order that they might be saved : John iii. 16-18. 
His people are scattered all over the world, and but few have a 
saving acquaintance with him ; but they shall all be brought to, 
and taught of him : Isa. liv. 13. 

"And they shall be all taught of God " to know their wants and 
woes, and where to get supplies. He points with his word and 
Spirit to Jesus, the friend and Saviour of sinners ; shows them 
how to escape wretchedness, and obtain blessedness ; dispels their 
fears, and attracts them by his love : John vi. 44. It is in vain 
for any to think themselves, spiritually, the children of God, who 
have not been " taught of God," both to know themselves, and to 
know Him. For it is written, "And all thy children shall be 
taught of the Lord : " Isa. liv. 13. 

When God undertakes to teach a man, He has to find him an 
eye to see, an ear to hear, and a heart to understand : Eph. iv. 18. 
But it matters not how dull the scholar he takes into his school ; 
for he has such a wonderful fashion of instructing the ignorant, 
that it is impossible for any one to miscarry who is taught of 
him : Ps. cxix. 102. A constant adherence to the ways of God in 
the time of trial, is a good evidence that we have been taught of 
him: Ps. Ixxi. 17. God is never at a loss what lesson to give; 
and though many lessons he gives are very hard to learn, they 
are all very good when Learned. 

"And they shall teach no more every man his neighbor, and 
every man his brother, saying, know the Lord; for they shall all 
know me, from the least <>f them unto the greatest of them, saith 
the Lord; lor l will forgive their iniquity, and 1 will remember 
their sins no more/' 



290 OF PURITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

"He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the 
sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the 
Lord an offering in righteousness. ' ' — Mai. iii. 3. 

JESUS CHEIST came into this world as a Eefiner, to separate 
the precious from the vile : Matt. iii. 12. He still carries on 
the work of refining ; and his people may depend upon it, that 
when they are prepared for the fire, it will be prepared for them. 
Observe, 

1st. Christ is the great Eefiner. By his word, his blood, his 
Spirit, and sanctified afflictions, he purges out the dross of error, 
corruptions, and disorderly members from his church : Isa. xlviii. 
10 ; and the dross of sin and base desire from the hearts of his 
believing people: Zech. xiii. 9. 2d. Who they are, that he will 
purify. " The sons of Levi" All true Christians are "sons of 
Levi ; " inasmuch,, as, like the tribe of Levi, they are devoted to 
the service of God, and are a holy priesthood : 1 Pet. ii. 5 ; 
designed to be priests unto God : Eev. i. 6. 3d. How he will 
purify them. He will "purge them as gold and silver." They 
shall not only be washed outwardly, but sanctified inwardly ; 
their corruptions that dwell within, shall be purged out ; and this 
shall be done in the fire, " as gold and silver " are purged to take 
away their dross and make them more valuable : Matt. iii. 11. 
Afflictions, temptations, and pain, are designed for the trial of 
their faith : 1 Pet. i. 6, 7. 4th. The Eefiner's design : " that they 
may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." His design 
is, not to destroy, but to refine his people : Ps. iv. 5. All who are 
converted to God, must > be consecrated to him ; love, prayer, and 
praise, are an offering which the Lord will accept. We must be 
refined and purified by the grace of God, before we can offer a 
sacrifice acceptably to God: Zeph. iii. 9. The fire consumes 
nothing belonging to the Christian but his dross, and his bonds : 
1 Pet. iv. 12. And, 5th. The position of the Eefiner. " He shall 
sit as a refiner." As, or like, a refiner, who takes his seat by the 
side of the furnace, and carefully watches the precious metal, lest 
the fire be too hot or too cold, or it should be too long in the fire ; 
so Jesus, the Eefiner of his people, never takes his eye from off 
them while in the furnace, but waits till he can see his image in 
them, 



OE PURITY AND RIGHTEOUSNESS. 291 

" And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and 
white : for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. " — Rev. xix. 8. 

/"^ OD the Father in Jesus the Saviour is the husband of the 
VU~ church; hence she is called the Lamb's Wife : Eev. xxi. 9. 
"And to her was granted that she should be arrayed; " for strange 
as it may appear, it is true, when He first set his love upon her 
she was quite naked, and so wretched, miserable, and poor, that 
she had not wherewith to cover her shame : Eev. iii. 17, 18 ; and 
withal was so diseased and bruised, that she had not a sound part 
belonging to her : Isa. i. 5, 6 ; and to add to her wretchedness, 
was quite blind : Eph. iv. 18. Such was her sad condition when 
the Lord took her into his favor, and gave her in marriage to his 
Son. He found her next door to death, buried in filth, and unable 
to better herself. He first gave her eyes to see her own naked- 
ness and danger, which not only humbled her pride, (for still she 
was proud,) but made her so ashamed of herself, that she was 
ready to faint ; and would certainly have died in despair, had not 
the Lord told her to look unto him : Isa. xlv. 22 ; and assured 
her that he was married unto her : Isa. liv. 4, 5 ; Jer. iii. 14. And 
to show himself a true-lover, he restored her to health and 
soundness; and " arrayed her in fine linen, clean and white/' 
Her wounds being healed — her sickness cured — and being so 
finely clothed, she now looks fair as the moon, and is counted 
worthy to walk with her Lord: Eev. iii. 4. " The fine linen is the 
righteousness of the saints," which He has wrought in them by his 
grace and Spirit ; and which shows itself in a righteous and holy 
life : Titus ii. 12. Thus he adorns and decks his bride here with 
the ornaments of grace ; and will crown her with glory when he 
takes her home : Eph. v. 27 ; Col. i. 21, 22. 

"Thy people also shall be all righteous ; they shall inherit the 
land forever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, 
that I may be glorified : " Isa. lx. 21. " As the earth bringeth 
forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown 
in it to spring forth ; so the Lord God will cause righteousness 
and praise to spring forth before all the nations : w Isa. lxi. 11. 



292 OF PEACE, LOVE, AND UNITY. 

"They shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and their spears into 
pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall 
they learn war any more. " — Isa. ii. 4. 

THIS is fulfilled in the surprising effect of the gospel, upon 
the minds of those that heartily embrace it ; it so changes 
their dispositions, that they can no longer play of! the madman's 
part, by scattering around them firebrands, arrows and death : 
Prov. xxvi. 18. Observe, 

1st. " They shall beat their swords" their instruments of death, 
into implements of husbandry : so that, instead of being employed 
to cut down men and take away life, they shall be employed to 
cut up the ground to procure " the staff of life." And in propor- 
tion as Christianity prevails, this must be the case. For the 
faithful subjects of the Prince of Peace can find no more use 
for swords, spears, pistols, dirks, and bowie-knives, than did their 
great exemplar ; for Christ's kingdom is a peaceful one, and he 
himself is its king : Isa. ix. 6. But where men are governed by 
their lusts, and do not submit to the government of Christ, the 
opposite may be expected: Joel iii. 10. " Pruning-hooks" look 
much better in the hands of Christians, than " spears ; w and are 
more beneficial to themselves and their fellow-men. 

2d. " Nation shall not lift up sivorcl against nation " when the 
Gospel of Christ prevails through the nations : for the very design 
of the Gospel is, to destroy all enmity and make peace : Eph. ii. 
13-16. And all over whom it prevails are disposed to be peace- 
able, and love even their greatest enemies : Matt. v. 44 ; while 
they are united in love the one to the other : John xiii. 35. 

3d. "Neither shall they learn war any more;" for the gospel- 
method, is, not force of arms to drive men, but love and prayers 
to persuade them : 2 Cor. v. 20. And when all are thus per- 
suaded to obey the gospel of Christ, there will be no disposition 
left to war any more. Neither will they learn the art of killing 
men in cold blood — unprovoked ; nor consider that man the most 
honorable who has swam the farthest through blood and tears. 
When the happy period will arrive that all men will be united in 
peace and love, we cannot tell ; but the word of inspiration 
assures us that it will come. Let all live in peace who love 
Christ. 




" They shall beat their awor Into ploughshares."— Page 292, 



OF PEACE, LOVE, AND UNITY. 293 

"That they all may be one ; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that 
they also may be one in us ; that the world may believe that thou hast sent 
me. " — John xvii. 21. 

SUCH was the prayer of Jesus for his disciples when about to 
leave them. They had long been his attendants and com- 
panions ; and had been witnesses of his love, piety, zeal, benevo- 
lence, and many mighty works. The time of his departure was at 
hand, and ere he leaves them he prays, 

1st. " That all may be one." For what he dearly paid, he fer- 
vently prayed ; nor did he pray in vain ; for the primitive Chris- 
tians realized that peace, love, and unity, for which he prayed : 
Acts iv. 32. And if believers in Jesus, in our day, did but attend 
to the same truth and example that they did, they would possess 
the same spirit As Christ is one in and with his Father, so he 
prays that all his members may be joined in one body to himself, 
as their head : Eph. i. 22, 23. " That they also may be one in us" 
as the branch is one in the vine ; partaking of the same nature 
and influence : John xv. 1-14. Being animated by the same 
Spirit, all who are joined to the Lord become one spirit : 1 Cor. 
vi. 17. There are many little things in which we must, as fallible 
creatures, necessarily differ; but, though we cannot all think 
alike as men, we should all love alike as Christians : Phil. ii. 5. 
All are agreed that sin is the greatest evil ; and holiness the 
greatest good ; and if all would take the word of God for their 
ONLY "rule of faith and practice," the differences among 
Christians would be few and unimportant; and then would that 
be accomplished for which the Saviour prayed, u that the world 
may believe that thou hast sent me." If we would wish for " the 
world to believe" that Christianity is Divine in its origin, let us 
live like Christians ! Acts iv. 13. 

2d. That the world might be constrained to believe that Christ 
was the sent of God, and his ministers and members "one with 
him." But while, instead of PEACE, they behold war; and in tin* 
place of love, bitterness; and in lieu of unity, discord; what 
can they think of Christianity ! Others have as good a right \o 
differ from us in matters of opinion, as we have lo differ From 
them. 



294 OF THE SECURITY OF THE CHURCH. 

" / the Lord do keep it ; I will water it every moment; lest any hurt it, ; will 
keep it night and day." — Isa. xxvii. 3. 

THE church is a vineyard, of which God is the proprietor. He 
first planted the Jews there, as his choice vine ; and gave 
them his tabernacle or temple as their wine-press ; and his oracles, 
ordinances, and blessings. This vineyard he let out to their 
keepers, and, after sending the prophets, sent his Son to demand 
suitable fruits ; but these being abused he gave their church-state 
to the Gentiles; and calls and qualifies men to labor in it: Isa. v. 
1-7 ; Matt. xxi. 33-41. The church of the Lord is not now made 
up of any particular sect. " For there is no difference between 
the Jew and the Greek ; for the same Lord over all, is rich unto 
all that call upon him : " Eom. x. 12. Although God's vineyard, 
in this world, stands in a vast common, it is well fenced in and 
under his immediate care. Listen to him : 

1st. " I the Lord do keep U" All we need, or can desire, Ave 
have in God ; and though his church is surrounded with enemies, 
her members have nothing to fear from them, while under the 
protection of the Lord, whose goodness is his glory : Isa. xxxiii. 
20-22. The Lord not only speaks comfortably concerning his 
vineyard, but acts graciously toward it ; " I will ivater it every 
moment." He will not flood it, but water it with the dews of his 
grace ; yea, he himself will be as the dew unto it : Hos. xiv. 5. 
He will cause his doctrines to drop upon it, as the dew upon the 
grass : Deut. xxxii. 2. He will so refresh and comfort it, that it 
shall be like a well-watered garden : Isa. lviii. 11. He will, not 
only water it on extraordinary occasions, but every moment; for 
was he to withhold his waterings but for one moment, we should 
all wither and die. In vain do the enemies of his church strive 
to injure it : Jer. xxiii. 6. "Lest any should hurt it, I will keep it 
night and day" There are many who would hurt it; but lest 
any should do so, He says, 

2d. U I ivill keep it" And who can doubt of its being well 
kept, while He keeps it ? Zech. ii. 8. He engages to keep it 
continually, " night and day ; " and we are assured that He is well 
qualified so to do : Ps. cxxi. 3, 4. Whoever put themselves under 
the Lord's protection may always fetch in help from him, by faith 
in him. 



OF THE SECUBITY OF THE CHURCH. 295 

4 " Upon this rock I will build my church ; and the gates of hell shall not pre- 
vail against it. ' ' — Matt. xvi. 18. 

JESUS CHEIST is the rock on which, his church and people 
are built ; he alone bears their whole weight, and all their 
concerns : Isa. ix. 6. The Eedeemer calls himself the Son of man; 
but Peter calls him " the Christ, the Son of the living God." 
This the Saviour acknowledges, and immediately adds, " Upon 
this rock" which thou hast now confessed to be the Son of the 
living God, " i" will build my church : " Eph. ii. 20. Christ does 
not say to Peter, thy church, but " my church : " Acts xx. 28. The 
materials of which Christ's church is built, are chosen out of the 
world for that purpose : John xv. 19. And though He employs 
many hands in carrying on the building, He himself is the great 
Master-builder ; hence he says, " I will build it : " Zech. vi. 12, 
13. The world and all that is therein belongs to God : Ps. xxiv. 
1. But before Christ began the building of his church, he cove- 
nanted with his Father for the materials ; and in due time paid 
down the full price : 1 Pet. i. 18, 19. The foundation-stone is 
laid " upon this rock : " Isa. xxviii. 16 ; and the building is grad- 
ually rising ; built all of lively stones : 1 Pet. ii. 5. Peter had 
the honor of laying the first stones, in the Jewish converts : Acts 
ii. 37-47 ; and also the first in the Gentile converts : Acts x. 45- 
48. But he never attempted to lay one stone upon himself, but 
upon "this rock" Christ: Acts iv. 10-12. Many storms have 
arisen and beat upon this building', but it fell not, because it was 
built upon "this rock:" Matt. vii. 25. But had it been built 
upon poor Peter, a servant-maid might have knocked it down : 
Matt. xxvi. 69-75. Men and devils have been constantly en- 
deavoring to throw it down, but all their efforts have been in 
vain ; for " the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Hell may 
vent her rage, and men their malice, and do all they can to oppose 
"this rock " of TEUTH on which the church rests, but it can never 
be overcome, formalists may use all their craft ami cruelty in 
opposing the gospel, but still it must prevail; while the com- 
bined efforts of hell and earth, "shall not prevail against it;" 
for while Christ lives his church is sale : John xiv. 19. 



296 OF THE PEACE OF THE CHURCH. 

"In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely." — Jer. 
xxiii. 6. 

HOW comforting is this reflection ! God has ever had a peo- 
ple upon the earth ; though many times they have narrowly 
escaped destruction: Ps. cxxiv. " In his days;" in the days of 
the Messiah, the Prince of Peace : Isa. ix. 6 ; when Christ, the 
Branch, shall make his appearance : Zech. iii. 8 ; whatever might 
be their present condition, " Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall 
dwell safely:" Ps. cii. 13, 14. The spiritual seed of faithful 
Abraham, and wrestling, praying Israel, shall be preserved from 
the curse of the law : Gal. iii. 13 ; and the power of Satan : Eom. 
xvi. 20. And being freed from sin, Eom. vi. 22, they are Israel- 
ites indeed : John i. 47. Like ancient Israel, they are chosen of 
God : 1 Pet. ii. 9 ; and are a peculiar people ; whom, in the midst 
of all dangers and calamities, he wonderfully preserves ; and for 
whom he so bountifully provides : Eom. ii. 29. His law being 
written in their hearts, they live in obedience to all his com- 
mands, and consequently " dwell safely : " Ps. cxix. 11. Where 
Christ keeps the heart, the soul dwells in peace : Eom. ii. 10, 11. 
The church, while in her wilderness state, in the time of a calm, 
should prepare for a storm. She may sometimes be used roughly, 
but she always dwells safely ; neither can any wars without, rob 
her of her peace within. And though she has many afflictions, 
she has many consolations : 2 Cor. i. 5. Should earthly comforts 
be taken away, the comforts of the Holy Spirit are given ; so that, 
while her members are faithful, they have good cause to be cheer- 
ful : 2 Cor. i. 7. 

Believers live under the peaceful reign of the Prince of peace : 
they love his laws and take great pleasure in their peaceful em- 
ployment: Isa. xxxii. 17. They have abundant satisfaction in 
doing their duty ; and great pleasure in reflecting upon it when 
done. Their love to the word of God enables them to hold fast 
their integrity and preserve their tranquillity : Ps. cxix. 165. 
They quarrel with nothing that God does : if they have but little 
of this world's good they are thankful ; and that makes them 
peaceful : it is never so bad with them but they will acknowl- 
edge, that it might have been worse. 



OF THE PEACE OF THE CHURCH. 297 

"The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly." — Rom/ 
xvi. 20. 

KNOW, believer, that this world is not thy rest ; thou art a 
soldier of Christ ; and as such thou art called upon to fight 
the good fight : 1 Tim. vi. 12. When thou wast at peace with 
Satan, the strong-man, he kept thee in quiet possession ; but now 
he is cast out, he besieges and attacks thee upon every quarter : 
Luke xi. 21, 22. Thy present state exposes thee to the combined 
powers of the world, with all its pomps and vanities ; its children, 
with all their smiles and frowns, their promises and threats : 
these, animated by " the god of this world," are at war with thee ; 
because thou art not of this world : John xv. 19. But let not 
this destroy, or even mar thy peace. 

The Lord of Hosts, who is mighty in battle, is the " God of 
Peace : " Ps. xxiv. 8 ; and you, being at peace with him, have 
nothing to fear, but everything to hope from him : Eom. v. 1 ; 
viii. 1. He has not only spoken peace to you, but continues to 
work peace in you; and will take good care to secure the peace 
of his church : Isa. liv. 14, 15. " The God of peace" who, in the 
"seed of the woman," bruised the serpent's head, "shall bruise 
Satan under your feet" Satan, the great adversary of the church, 
the author and founder of all false doctrines, is ever designing to 
destroy the purity of its members, that he may thereby deprive 
them of their peace, here and hereafter : 1 Pet. v. 8. But he shall 
finally be conquered by the " God of peace," and every member 
brought off more than conqueror : Rom. viii. 37. " The God of 
peace " is opposed to all that opposes and disturbs the peace of 
his church : and will assuredly give them a complete victory over 
their great adversary ; yea, and bring his neck under their feet. 
God in Christ is their Joshua, and will lead them on to certain 
victory ; and after he has conquered for them, will call them to 
tread on the neck of Satan, and triumph over every enemy : Joshua 
x. 24, 25. Surely this ought to animate and encourage every sol- 
dier of the Cross to fight valiantly, while the war continues. He 
of good courage; the war will soon be over; victory is sure, and 
will be gained "shortly" It is true, we know not the exact time 
when ; but it is enough ior us to know that it will come shortly. 



298 OF THE DESTRUCTION OF ANTICHRIST. 

" Whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve 
and obey him." — Dan. vii. 27. 

SAINT JOHN declares, that " lie is antichrist, that denies the 
Father and the Son ; " and, that " whosoever denieth the Son, 
the same hath not the Father : n 1 John ii. 22, 23. The reason is 
obvious ; for both the Father and the Son are one : and no man 
who denies the one can possess the other : John x. 30 5 xiv. 9. 
The same Apostle declares, " The Word was God — and the Word 
was made flesh, and dwelt among us : " John i. 1, 2, 14. The 
Apostle Paul bears testimony to the same ; and declares, that 
" God was ix Christ, reconciling the world unto himself : " 2 Cor. 
v. 19. Father and Son are relative terms, Producer and Produced. 
The divine nature produced the human nature ; that is, assumed 
a body like ours, but without sin ; that in the offending nature 
he might suffer in the room and stead of guilty man ; and thereby 
''reconcile the world unto himself." But it should ever be 
remembered, that the characters Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, 
are but various exhibitions of the same one eternal God, and 
designed merely as an accommodation to our limited understand- 
ing. Hear what is said of Christ. 

1st. " Whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom;" all other 
" kings shall shut their mouths at him ; " for He must reign when 
all things shall have been put under him : Isa. lii. 15. Jesus, the 
great Head of the church, will shortly render the Beast and all 
the leaders of his army, incapable of molesting her any more : 
Bev. xix. 20, 21. His reign will be, not only everlasting, but 
universal. For, 

2d. "All dominions shall serve and obey him" And the saints 
of the Most High shall take and possess the kingdom : Dan. vii. 
18. The Bedeemer's kingdom shall be established ; every enemy 
that is not subdued shall be destroyed. Every opposition must 
be overcome. " At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of 
things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth ; 
and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the 
glory of God the Father : " Phil. ii. 10, 11. Let this considera- 
tion encourage the hearts of all the faithful subjects of the 
Redeemer's kingdom. 



OF THE DESTRUCTION OF ANTICHRIST. 299 

"And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought 
miracles before him, with which he had deceived them that had received the 
mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image ; these both were cast 
alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. " — Rev. xix. 20. 

AT a very early period of the Christian Church antichrist 
made his appearance ; and many " false prophets " came in 
the name of Christ, who possessed the spirit of antichrist: 1 
John ii. 22, 23 ; iv. 1-3. But all faithful and spiritual Christians 
obtain a complete victory over antichrist and his false prophets : 
1 John iv. 4. Christ foretold that antichrist and his teachers 
would come in sheep's clothing, and so transform themselves, 
that, were it possible, they would deceive the very elect : Matt, 
xxiv. 5, 24. All such hold a false Christ as the head, a false 
church as the body, and accompany these with false works, false 
worship, and false ordinances. And so artfully do they make 
them to resemble the true ones, that many of the simple are 
deceived by them ; and receive " the mark of the beast" by which 
they are known to be his worshippers: Rom. xvi. 17,18. For 
though they do not literally bow down to the beast, they actually 
"ivorship his image" The battle, at the present time, rages with 
great fury ; but the victory will assuredly be gained by Christ, 
the glorious head of the church ; for " the beast ivas taken, and 
ivith him the false prophet" The work is already done, virtually, 
and shall actually be accomplished; and "these both" the beast 
and his prophet, will be "cast alive into a lake of fire burning with 
brimstone" Antichrist and his false prophets can never prevail 
against the truly faithful, because they are of God : 1 John iv. 6. 
They are born again; but not of corruptible seed: 1 Pet. i. 23; 
and for that reason cannot be overcome; in as much as they are 
"kept by the power of God, through faith: " 1 Pet. i. 5. Think 
not, believer, because some rebel lust, some sinful passion, or 
some fiery dart of the enemy, makes an attack upon thee, that the 
God of peace is at war with thee. No; let such a thought find 
no lodging-place in thy breast; for God is ever at peace with 
thee, and will shortly destroy all His and thy enemies. All who 

possess the spirit, of Christ, are followers ol' Christ here, and will 
reign with him hereafter; llev. iii. 21. 



300 OF THE ENDLESS DURATION OF THE CHURCH. 

"His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and 
his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, " — Dan. vii. 14. 

THE ^Messiah is uniformly represented as sustaining every 
character, accomplishing every design, and possessing every 
necessary qualification to redeem and save mankind. He is a 
Saviour adapted to all our diversified necessities, and able to save 
to the uttermost. His manhood was similar to that original 
humanity of the first happy pair, being holy, harmless, and un- 
defiled, without one sin of his own : 1 Pet. ii. 22. He is infinite 
in wisdom, power, righteousness, and goodness. He is, not only 
a Prophet to instruct, a Priest to atone, but also a King to rule 
over his people. And, 

"His dominion is an everlasting dominion;" the kingdom which 
He established in the work of redemption, is designed to destroy 
all sin; that " grace might reign through righteousness unto 
eternal life : n Eom. v. 21. "His dominion" is an eternal empire 
of grace, producing righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy 
Ghost: Eom. xiv. 17. -And his kingdom that which shall not be 
destroyed." His kingdom of grace here, prepares for, and leads 
to, his kingdom of glory hereafter. Christ has gone to prepare 
a place for each and all of his subjects, and now waits to receive 
and welcome them into his everlasting kingdom ; that they might 
dwell in his immediate presence, and reign with him forever : 
Matt. xxv. 31; 2 Pet. i. 11. All other kings are mortal, and 
therefore die, and leave their dominions to their successors. All 
earthly kingdoms rise and fall ; and will ultimately crumble into 
ruins; but "'His kingdom shall not be destroyed.'' For he is the 
King eternal, and immortal ; •• and the kingdom shall not be left 
to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these 
kingdoms, and it shall stand forever : *' Dan. ii. 44. 

Observe, 1st. The kingdom of Christ is founded on the prin- 
ciples of reason, justice, and mercy; and therefore all ought 
cheerfully to bow to his sceptre : Ps. ii. 12. 2d. His dominion is 
imperishable ; and can never be taken, or demolished by invaders. 
All the plans he adopts, and the means he employs, are devised 
by infinite wisdom, and accompanied by omnipotent power : and 
•'• the words of the Lord are pure ; " Ps ? xii 6. 




OF THE ENDLESS DURATION OF THE CHURCH. 301 

" The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of 
his Christ ; and he shall reign forever and ever. ' ' — Rev. xi. 15. 

FEW human governors possess all the qualifications requisite 
to form a perfect ruler ; and fewer still possess them in that 
state of perfection their friends desire. But the King of Zion 
knows no lack. Is it desirable that a ruler should be wise ? In 
King Jesus "are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowl* 
edge : " Col. ii. 3. Should he be good ? The life and death of the 
Eedeemer bespeak his goodness : Acts x. 38 ; John x. 11. Should 
he be powerful ? Our Mediatorial King has all power : Matt, 
xxviii. 18. He has all the stores of nature and grace at his com- 
mand. Observe, 

1st. " The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of 
our Lord and of his Christ." They were always so by creation 
and redemption ; but the heavenly host shall, ere long, acknowl- 
edge them his by actual possession. They now give him thanks 
because he has taken to him his great power, and has commenced 
the work of subduing all things to himself; and rejoice that his 
reign shall never come to an end. "He shall reign forever and 
ever;" not only to the end of time, but when time and days shall 
be no more. The kingdom of Christ shall out-wear, and out-live, 
all other kingdoms : His throne shall stand forever, and his sub- 
jects be as the stars of heaven, innumerable and immutable. 

2d. Christ has done a great work for us; and, if we are Chris- 
tians, has wrought a great work in us. He intends making all 
his subjects kings ; all the members of his church are kings in 
life, and actually reign over all that is earthly, sensual, and devil- 
ish. You may have sin in you, mourn over it, and groan under 
it; but "sin shall not have dominion over you; for ye are not 
under the law but under grace:" Bom, vi. 11. And grace is 
glory begun; but glory is grace made perfect. How amiable! 
how lovely, will the church appear, when all meet in the presence 
of her Sovereign Lord, the King! She will then appear as the 
Daughter of the King — the bride; all glorious within, and richly 
adorned without — all comely to behold, and (dad in royal robes 

of perfect righteousness: llev. i. 5, 6. Her happiness will be 

complete and endless : 1 John iii. 2. 



302 OF THE EESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 

"/ will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my 
servant David; he shall feed them, and shall be their shepherd." — Ezek. 
xxxiv. 23. 

HEBE we have the Messiah foretold as having his commission 
from God. " I will set up" sanctify, seal, appoint, and 
anoint, " one Shepherd over them : n Luke iv. 18. By him, Jews 
and Gentiles shall be brought into one fold, and " he shall feed 
them : " Ezek. xxxvii. 25. Christ, the great Shepherd of his flock, 
is qualified to do that for them which none else could : Isa. xl. 
11. (l Even my servant David." Jesus Christ is God's servant; 
being employed by him and for him; and in all things acting 
according to his will : John vi. 38, 39. He is both the root and 
offspring of David : Eev. xxii. 16. As a Shepherd, he takes great 
care of his flock : John x. 27, 28. He feeds them on his word, 
and in the fruitful fields of his ordinances ; and has appointed his 
ministers, as under-shepherds, to watch over and pay all neces- 
sary attention to them : John xxi. 16, 17. God will not forget 
his scattered people ; and by rolling away their reproach, will 
make them to become as honorable as ever they have been despi- 
cable : Zeph. iii. 19, 20. The Lord will not fail to do his own 
work in his own time. 

"Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, 
Eeturn, thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not 
cause mine anger to fall upon you : for I am merciful, saith the 
Lord, and I will not keep anger forever. Only acknowledge thine 
iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, 
and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green 
tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. Turn, 
backsliding children, saith the Lord, for I am married unto you : " 
Jer. iii. 12-14. " For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he 
hateth putting away : " Mai. ii. 16. " Jerusalem shall be trodden 
down of the Gentiles until the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled : " 
Luke xxi. 24. " God hath not cast away his people which he 
foreknew : n Eom. xi. 2. " If the fall of them be the riches of 
the world, and the diminishing of them be the riches of the Gen- 
tiles, how much more their fulness ? " ver. 12. He who scattered 
them abroad, knows how to collect them together. 



OF THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 303 

"God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. " — Rom. xi. 2. 
/^\ OD chose Israel, as a body, above all people in the world, to 
V_X be a peculiar people to himself ; they had special privileges, 
were carefully preserved, and highly regarded : Exod. xix. 5, 6. 
Christ first visited them in person ; but though he looked upon 
them in their low estate, they would not receive him in his : John 
i. 11. They chose rather to let Christ go, than part with their 
prejudices and their sins : John iii. 19. The main body of the 
Jewish nation obstinately persevered in their sins, and perished 
in unbelief ; but this was not the case with all : John i. 12. 
Their rejection cannot be total and final ; no, the apostle startles 
at the thought, and exclaims " God forbid ! " ver. 1. " God hath 
not, utterly, cast away his people." For the Scriptures assure us, 
they will be brought to believe in their Eedeemer whom they 
crucified. What saith the Scriptures ? 

" A voice was heard upon the high places, weeping and suppli- 
cations of the children of Israel ; for they have perverted their 
way, and they have forgotten the Lord their God. Eeturn, ye 
backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, 
we come unto thee ; for thou art the Lord our God. Truly, in 
vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude 
of mountains ; truly in the Lord our God is the salvation of 
Israel : Jer. iii. 21-23. They shall serve the Lord their God, in 
David (Jesus Christ) their king, whom I will raise up unto them. 
Therefore, fear thou not, my servant Jacob, saith the Lord; 
neither be dismayed, Israel ; for, lo, I will save thee from afar, 
and thy seed from the land of their captivity ; and Jacob shall 
return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make 
him afraid. For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee ; 
though 1 make a full end of all nations whither 1 have scattered 
thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee; but L will correct 
thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished : 
Jer. xxx. 9-11. At the same time, saith the Lord, will I be the 
God of all the families of Israel, ami they shall be my people J 

Jer. xxxi. 1. Hear the word of the Lord, ve nations, and de- 
clare it in the isles alar off: w Jer. xxxi. LO. " Clod hath not casi 
away his people which he foreknew. ' ; 



304 OF THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 

" Upon mount Hon shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness : and 
the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions. " — Obadiah 17. 

DELIVERANCE shall be wrought out for Israel ; though God 
may appear to have long forgotten them. He will return 
unto, own, help, and head them : Zech. i. 17. " Upon Mount Zion" 
the gospel-church, from whence proceeded the New-Testament 
law, their deliverance shall be continually proclaimed, and prayed 
for: Isa. ii. 3. "And there shall be holiness;" for without it 
there can be no happiness : Heb. xii. 14. And wherever God 
designs to give glory, he never fails to give grace to prepare for 
it : Eph. i. 6, 7. The gospel must be preached in all the world : 
Matt. xxiv. 14 ; and the word of the Lord must accomplish that 
for which it was sent : Isa. lv. 11 ; u and the house of Jacob shall 
possess their possessions" 

" This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house 
of Israel ; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in 
their inward parts, and write it in their hearts ; and will be their 
God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no 
more every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, 
Know the Lord ; for they shall all know me, from the least of 
them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord ; for I will for- 
give their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more : Jer. 
xxxi. 33, 34. In those days, and at that time, will I cause the 
Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David ; and he shall 
execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days 
shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely ; and this 
is the name wherewith she shall be called, the Lord our Right- 
eousness : Jer. xxxiii. 15, 16. And I will set up one shepherd 
over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David, (the 
Redeemer,) he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. 
And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince 
among them ; I the Lord have spoken it : Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24. 
In that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and 
Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations and will bring them 
down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them 
there," &c. : Joel iii. 1, 2. And they shall fear the Lord and his 
goodness in the latter days : Hos. iii. 4, 5. 



OF THE RESTORATION OF THE JEWS. 305 

"Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. ' ' 
— 2 Cor. iii. 16. 

"TTPOISr the minds of all men there is a natural veil of igno- 
V-J ranee and unbelief ; and which, till removed, keeps them from 
understanding the mysteries of the gospel of Christ : Eph. iv. 18. 
The Jews have a thick veil of unbelief and deeply-rooted preju- 
dice, against Christ and his holy religion, remaining upon their 
hearts : 2 Cor. iii. 15. They wilfully shut their eyes against 
the light; and God has justly suffered them to remain shut. 
"Nevertheless" there is a time coming " ivhen it" the body of 
the Jews, " shall turn to the Lord" from whom they have wan- 
dered, and " the veil shall be taken away : " See Isa. xxv. 6-8. 

"Sing and rejoice, daughter of Zion; for, lo, I come, and 
I will dwell in the midst of thee, saith the Lord. And many 
nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and shall be my 
people ; and I will dwell in the midst of thee ; and thou shalt know 
that the Lord of hosts hath sent me unto thee : Zech. ii. 10, 11. 
The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty ; he will save, 
he will rejoice over thee with joy : he will rest in his love ; he 
will joy over thee with singing : Zeph. iii. 17. For I would not, 
brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, (lest ye 
should be wise in your own conceits,) that blindness in part has 
happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles. And so all 
Israel shall be saved ; as it is written, There shall come out of 
Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob ; 
for this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their 
sins. As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes; 
but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers' 
sake. For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance. 
For as ye in time pa8t have not believed God, yet have now 
obtained mercy through their unbelief, even so have these also 
now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain 
mercy. For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he 
might have mercy upon all. the depth o{' the riches both of 
tin' wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his 
judgments, and his ways past finding out!" Bom. xi. LW;)!'. 



306 THAT GOD WILL PERFORM ALL HIS PROMISES. 

" The word of the Lord is tried : he is a buckler to all those that trust in 
him." — Ps. xviii. 30. 

HOPE in the promises of God is an anchor to the soul. 
Whatever storms or tempests are without, or however the 
swelling waves of corruption may roll within, yet the Christian 
knows that the God in whom he trusts is mightier than all ; and, 
therefore, rests himself on the promises He has made to his 
people. David had frequently put the promises of the Lord to 
the test, but never found one of them once to fail him ; he was, 
therefore, bold. and daring. If a troop stood in his way he ran 
through them: 2 Sam. xxii. 30. If a wall crossed his path he 
leaped over it : Ps. xviii. 29. And when his enemies rose up 
against him they stumbled and fell: Ps. xxvii. 2. So that he 
could from experience say, 

" The word of the Lord is tried." In every age of the world, 
the saints have tried it, and ever found it to be immovable as a 
mountain of brass : Deut. vii. 9. No matter how far forward 
some of the promises may appear to be, they shall all be per- 
formed in due season : Isa. xxv. 1. " The word of the Lord " 
has been tried often, and never failed in any one thing : 1 Kin. 
viii. 56. Whatever God promises, He performs ; and we ought 
to consider his saying of it to be like his doing of it : Isa. xlvi. 
11. Men frequently promise in order to deceive; but not so 
with God ; for should the sun forget to rise, God will never fail 
to perform all his word : Heb. x. 23. 

" He is a buckler to all those that trust in him" Yes, only take 
God at his word, and you will find by happy experience that he 
is your buckler. A buckler, or shield, is a piece of defensive 
armor, used to ward off the blows of swords or arrows. The 
truth and favor of God are the shield and buckler of all those 
that trust in him : Ps. v. 12 ; xviii. 2, 35 ; xci. 4. Nothing but 
consolation, sweet, strong, and lasting consolation, ariseth to 
poor sinners from the word of truth, You who have Jesus for 
your refuge, have the Lord for your buckler, and his tried-word 
for your support. Trust in, live to, venture your all upon him, 
and you will find every promise will be fulfilled by him: Numb, 
xxiii. 19. Eead the word, search it, and trust in it. It has been 
tried often, and failed never. 



THAT GOD WILL PERFORM ALL HIS PROMISES. 307 

"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." 
— Matt. xxiv. 35. 

SUCH is the declaration of the mighty God, the everlasting 
Father, the Prince of Peace : Isa. ix. 6. Never was there 
a foundation so strong as that on which a disciple of Christ builds 
his faith ; and that is laid in the promises of God. The moun- 
tains may be hurled from their seats, and buried in the mighty 
deep : Ps. xlvi. 1-3; the pillars of heaven may tremble, bend, and 
break, but God's word remains the same : Isa. xl. 8. " Heaven 
and earth shall pass away ;" for God has ordained that they 
should be changed : Ps. cii. 25-27. But the word of the Lord is 
settled in heaven ; as also revealed on earth, and " shall not pass 
away : " Ps. cxix. 89. Turn which way you will, you meet with 
the mercy of the Lord, can trace his providence, and still find 
cause for depending on his truth, for all that he has promised. 
And that truth having never deceived you, what more can you 
want ? what further evidence can you require ? Is not eternal 
veracity sufficient ? Is He not your Tower, your Rock, your 
Refuge, your Strength, your Redeemer, and your portion ? Ps. 
lxi. 3; Isa. xxxii. 2. It was He who graciously invited you, 
entwined the cords of his love around your wandering heart, and 
drew you to himself : Jer. xxxi. 3 ; John vi. 44. The covenant 
which he has entered into with you has been sealed by his blood, 
and can never be broken: Isa. lv. 3. The Redeemer's dying 
legacy to all his dear children is Peace ; nothing but love dwells 
in his heart ; and nothing but peace is heard from his lips. 

Faith in the promises of God will remove all tears, and chase 
away all sorrow. Was he ever faithful and kind ? He is still 
the same : Heb. xiii. 8. " Ye know in all your hearts, and in all 
your souls, that not one thing hath failed, of all the good things 
which the Lord your God spake concerning you ; all are come to 
pass unto you, and not one thing hath failed thereof:" Josh. 
xxiii. 14; 1 Kin. viii. 56. Jesus, the Logos, the Word, the Maker 
of all things, who was made flesh, declares, that "his words shall 
not pass away:" John i. 1-3, 14. Our hope is established and 
strengthened through patience and com fort of the promises of 
God : ivoni. xv. 4. 



308 THAT GOD WILL PERFORM ALL HIS PROMISES. 

"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth ; but the word of our God shall 
stand forever." — Isa. xl. 8. 

^VTATUKE and necessity are the Lord's ; and none can limit 
-LN him. He speaks the word and it comes to pass ; and none 
can resist his omnipotent will : Numb, xxiii. 19. We have here, 

1st. A true emblem of man; " The grass withereth:" so man, 
with all his boasted power, is not to be trusted to ; for, in the 
height of all his enjoyments, he may be suddenly called upon to 
experience a sad reverse ; to-day, he may be fat and flourishing ; 
to-morrow, faded and lean ; to-day, full and fruitful, to-morrow, 
sapless and dry. " The flower fadeth; " youth may be blooming 
with beauty to-day; to-morrow, faded and gone. Though art and 
nature may combine to make a perfect beauty, there is nothing 
belonging to man that can be depended upon ; for still, " the 
floiver fadeth;" and the Lord alone is the only foundation on 
which we can build our hopes. Of what has man to boast, even 
in his best estate ? And, 

2d. The validity of the word of God ; " But the word of our 
God shall stand forever" He stretched out the heavens, hung 
their lofty arches with brilliant lamps ; and created the earth and 
sea by the word of his power ; and these shall all be changed ; 
but He remains the same : Heb. i. 10-12. " The word of our 
God/' and that grace which is brought with it to us, and wrought 
by it in us, " shall stand forever : " 1 Pet. i. 23-25. When every 
creature-comfort withers and fades, a Christian has this best of 
all consolations left, " The word of God shall stand : " Ps. lxxxix. 
34. In all generations the perfections of God are the same. He 
who divided the sea — rained bread from heaven — and broke the 
flinty rock, for the good of his people, remains ever the same : 
Deut, vii. 9. His words are clear and distinct, without the least 
deceit; and such as may well secure the confidence, and satisfy 
the desires of the weakest of all believers who hang upon them. 
Neither, heaven, earth, nor hell, have ever witnessed the least 
deviation from truth and justice on the part of God : Isa. liv. 9, 
10. " The word of our God " has stood ; does stand ; and " shall 
stand forever." 



THAT GOD WILL PEEFOEM ALL HIS PEOMISES. 309 

"He is faithful that has promised." — Heb. x. 23. 

WE often break the promises we make with. God ; but He 
never fails in anything he has promised to us. And, 
therefore, his faithfulness to his word may well encourage our 
faith in his promises : Hos. ii. 19, 20. Suffer not the carnal 
reasonings of the flesh, the contempt of wicked men, or the base 
insinuations of the devil, to put you to a stand. " It is writ- 
ten/' is an argument sufficient to support your soul against 
every attack of the most wily foe. The world and its children 
may, yea, will prove false and fickle ; but the foundation of God 
standeth sure : 2 Tim. ii. 19. That God has hitherto been faith- 
ful to his promises, I need only refer to your own experience ; 
to the dangers, seen and unseen, he has protected you in, and 
brought you through ; to the intricate paths through which he has 
led you ; and the many troubles from which he has delivered you. 
Often has He caused light to break out of obscurity, and turned 
your midnight into noon-day : Deut. xxxii. 11, 12. He has been 
your unerring Guide, even when you knew not how to ask his 
counsel : Ps. xxv. 8. He has often confounded your unbelief, 
by supplying your needs unexpectedly ; and though your faith 
has often failed, his goodness has remained. 

Say, have you not hitherto found him a kind, faithful, never- 
failing fountain of mercy, goodness, and truth? Has he not 
frequently hushed your troubled breast, and in the sweetest ac- 
cents spoken peace to your distressed soul ? Jer. xxxi. 3. Recall 
to your mind the many times when he has literally fulfilled his 
word, by sending immediate answers to your prayers ; and proved 
himself your helper, when every other help has failed you ; and 
you will then be constrained to acknowledge, that "He is faithful 
that has promised ." You still have his faithful word, his precious 
promises, his solemn oath, all pledged for your security and sal- 
vation. "He is faithful : " ever plead his faithfulness ; and let a 
remembrance of the past encourage you to trust him for the 
future; for " He is faithful." Be not fickle, but faithful. Let 
faith carry you through all fche ways of* God, while you rely on 
the promises of God ; for ik He is faithful bhat lias promised." 



310 THE BENEDICTION. 

" The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen." — Rev. 
xxii. 21. 

CHEISTIAN EEADEE : — After having laid before you so 
many of those " exceeding great and precious promises/' 
secured unto you by last will and testament of the adorable 
Eedeemer, permit me now to assure you, that I desire nothing 
more, than that "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ may be with 
you " in this life, to prepare you to be with him in the next. The 
apostle John could wish the church nothing more ; and I can wish 
you nothing less. And that you might see the nature of this 
the apostle's and my wish, Observe, 

Grace is put for, (1) The free, eternal love of God, the spring 
and source of every other good : 2 Tim. i. 9. (2) The free impu- 
tation of Christ's righteousness, by which we become righteous in 
the sight of God : Eom. v. 20. (3) The work of the Holy Spirit, 
renewing the soul after the image of God, and assisting us in the 
discharge of all those duties required of us : 2 Cor. xii. 9. (4) 
That state of friendship and reconciliation with God which he 
graciously bestows : Eom. v. 2. (5) The free love, favor, and 
bounty of Jesus Christ : 2 Cor. viii. 9. (6) The pure doctrines of 
the Gospel of Christ, proceeding from grace : 1 Pet. v. 12. (7) A 
liberal and charitable disposition, wrought in the heart by the 
grace of God : 2 Cor. viii. 7. (8) Spiritual instruction and edifi- 
cation : Eph. iv. 29. (9) The office of apostleship, together with 
ability for the work of the ministry : Eph. iii. 8. (10) A lively 
sense of the free, undeserved favor of God in the soul : Eom. i. 7. 
(11) The love of God dwelling in the heart ; or the assistance of 
divine grace : 2 Cor. i. 12. (12) Eaith, patience, and other graces, 
that enable us to bear, and support us under afflictions : Phil. i. 7. 
(13) Eternal life, or final salvation, which God will graciously 
bestow, when Jesus Christ shall be revealed : 1 Pet. i. 13. (14) It 
is also put for something beautiful and graceful : Prov. iv. 9. 
And (15) Eor favor and friendship with man : Gen. xxxix. 4. 

Such, beloved, is the nature of the apostle's wish, and of my 
most fervent prayer ; and to which, I have no doubt, you will add, 
with me, your most hearty "Amen" So be it — Lord, as thy 
servant has desired. So let it be. 



AN APPENDIX: 

CONTAINING A COMPENDIUM OF THE BIBLE: 

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS, ETC. ETC. 
BIBLE. 

THE word, "bible," signifies Book; and is so called on ac- 
count of its being a Book of Books ; sixty-six in all. The 
whole Bible, consisting of the Old and New Testaments, is com- 
monly called the " Scriptures ; " and which signifies, writings. 
They were written by different persons, at different times, and 
in different places; and since the canon of Scripture has been 
filled up, as also before, the whole is called, " The book of the 
Lord : " Isa. xxxiv. 16. They were inspired by the Lord ; and 
abound with the most sublime descriptions of him : 2 Tim. iii. 
16, 17. The Bible describes, not only the nature of God and 
what He is in himself, but also the relations in which he stands 
to us as his creatures : Isa. lxiii. 16 ; Mai. ii. 10. And scarcely 
could there be a question asked, by any serious mind, concerning 
the Divine Being, but may be answered by the Scriptures. They 
are sanctioned by the Lord ; and he has affixed his seal to the 
truth of them. See Isa. lv. 10, 11 ; Bom. i. 16 ; 1 Thess. ii. 13. 
They find us far from God, and mark out the path by which we 
are brought back to our Father's house: Isa. liii. 6; John iii. 
16-18. If you would gain instruction, attentively read the 
Bible ; for that is a book of knowledge, with every page replete 
with sacred information : 2 Tim. iii. 15. If you want examples, 
you will find the Bible a book of models; for the precepts there 
contained, not only describe what men ought to be, but, in living 
characters, show what they really were: Heb. xi. To gain excite- 
ments you have only to read the Bible, and you have a book of 
motives the most powerful; addressed, not only to the under- 
standing, but to the conscience and heart. If you need encourage- 
ment, all you have to do is to road your Bible; for there von 
have a book of "precious promises" and "strong consolations;" 
suited to every ease, and well calculated to meet every emer- 
gency: Ps. xix. 7-11. 



312 DIVISIONS OF THE BIBLE. 

The Old Testament was chiefly written in the Hebrew lan- 
guage, and the Xew Testament in the Greek. The present Eng- 
lish Bible was translated out of the original tongues in the 
reign of King James I. It contains two collections of writings, 
distinguished by the titles of the Old Testament and the Xew 
Testament. The former contains the successive revelations of the 
will of God to man before the birth of Christ; and the latter 
comprises the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles of the 
Eedeemer. The two parts include sixty-six books. The ancient 
Jews classed the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament in three 
divisions; and those portions were called, 1st. The Laiv; 2d. 
The Prophets; and, 3d. The Holy Writings. The law, contain- 
ing the five books of Moses, was called the Pentateuch; from 
a word signifying five instruments. The prophets included 
Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, and the two books 
of Kings, which were called " the Former Prophets." And the 
" Latter Prophets w comprised Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the 
twelve smaller prophetical books from Hosea to ilalachi, which 
were all reckoned one book. The Holy Writings comprehended 
the book of Ruth, the two books of Chronicles, Ezra, Xehemiah, 
Esther, Job, the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Solomon's Song, 
Lamentations, and the book of Daniel. 

When " Lord " is printed in capital letters, it is in the original, 
"JEHOVAH." All words printed in Italics are not in the origi- 
nal, but are merely designed by the translators to make it read 
in English ; for without such words, the sense, in many places, 
would be incomplete. 

That arrangement of the Sacred Writings adopted in our 
Bibles, is not regulated by the exact order of time ; although it 
is universally allowed, that the book of Genesis is the first, 
and the prophecy of Malachi the last of the books of the Old 
Testament. 

The books of the Bible, when first written, were not divided 
into chapters and verses ; neither were there any marks of punct- 
uation, or stops ; but letter followed letter as if every line had 
been a single word. The Jews, however, began very early to 
point their sections ; though it is not certain when this improve- 
ment was made. 



TABLE OF BOOKS. 313 

The division of the several books into chapters and verses is 
a modern invention ; and though useful in many respects, there 
are serious disadvantages attending it ; for by it the sense of the 
writer is frequently obscured. For example : The first verse of 
the seventh chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians 
should be read along with the sixth chapter. In order, therefore, 
to obtain a general view of the plan and connection of any par- 
ticular book, it should be carefully read all through, without pay- 
ing the least regard to this arbitrary division. 

In the New Testament, it frequently occurs that names are dif- 
ferently spelt from what they are in the Old. For example : Isaiah 
is called Esaias : Matt. iii. 3 ; Isa. xl. 3, 4. Joshua, who was a type 
of the Eedeemer, is, according to the true signification of his name, 
called Jesus : Acts vii. 45 ; Heb. iv. 8. Hosea is called Osee : 
Eom. ix. 25 ; Hosea i. 10 ; ii. 23. This should ever be kept in 
mind, or we may make many serious mistakes in reading. To 
properly understand the true meaning of any passage, or chapter, 
it will be well to consider the whole design of the writer; and 
this will be readily discovered by the preceding and following 
parts of the same book. 

TABLE OF BOOKS, ETC. 

The following table is believed to contain accurate particulars 
of the English version of the Bible; and though it may profit 
but few, it will probably please most readers. 

In the Old Testament. In the New Testament. Total. 

Books 39 27 66 

Chapters 929 260 1,189 

Verses 23,214 7,959 31,173 

Words 592,493 181,263 773,746 

Letters 2,728,100 838,880 3,666,480 

The middle chapter and the shortest in the Bible, is the one 
hundred and seventeenth Psalm : the middle verse is the eighth 
of the one hundred and eighteenth Psalm. The nineteenth chap- 
ter of the second book of Kings and the thirty-seventh chapter of 
Isaiah are both alike. The twenty-first verse of the seventh chap- 
ter of Ezra has all the letters of the alphabet in it, excepting J, 



314 GENESIS. 

:^p = The reader will observe, that, in noticing the several books 
of the Bible, the figure or figures on the left, designate the chap- 
ter to which the remarks immediately following belong. 

G-EXZSIS. 

Ge>tesi3 signifies creation, generation, or beginning. This 
book was written by Moses: it relates the history of the Crea- 
tion, and about twenty-four generations lescended from Adam. 
It :ontains a history of about 2369 yeans. 

Chapter 1. Tells us how the world was made. 2. Of the 
formation of man, and his happiness in Eden. 3. The fall of 
Man — the Serpent cursed, and the Saviour promised. 4. The 
births, trades, and religions of Cain and Abel — the murder of 
Abel — the curse of Cain — and building of the first city. 5. The 
genealogy, ages, and deaths of the patriarchs from Adam to 
Noah — the godliness and translation of Enoch. 6. The pro- 
voking wickedness •:: the antediluvian world — Xoah's finding 
favor with God — the order, form, and end of the ark. 7. The 

: — rrvation of 2Soah and his family — the beginning, increase, 
and continuance of the flood. 8. The assuaging of the waters — 
Xoah's leaving the ark — his sacrifice accepted — God's covenant 
with him. 9. God's covenant established — the rainbow as a 
sign — Xoah's drunkenness — Canaan cursed — Shem blessed — 
and Japheth preyed for. 10. ZSTinirod. the first monarch. 11. 
The building of Babel — the confusion of tongues — the genera- 
tions of Shem — and of Terah. the father of Abram, 12. Aoranr s 
calL blessing, and promise of Christ — Canaan is promised to him 
and his seed 13. Abram and his nephew Lot separate by dis- 

-irrment — Lot remove- :; Sodom. 14 The battle of four 
Kings against five — Lot is taken prisoner and re- me '. by Abram. 
15. Isaac is promised — and the promise of Canaan renewed. 16. 
Hagar is afflicted — comforted by an angel — Ishmael is born. 

17. The change of Abram's name to that of Abraham, and his 
wife Sarai's to that of Sarah, in token of a greater blessing — 

gain promised — Abraham and Ishmael are ;:: romeised. 

18. Abraham entertains three angels — he intercedes for the men 
of Sodom. 19. Lot entertains two ansrels — the Sodomites are 



GENESIS. 315 

stricken with blindness — Sodom and Gomorrah are destroyed — 
Lot escapes to the mountains — his wife is a pillar of salt — he 
commits drunkenness and incest. 20. Abraham denies his wife 
through fear, loses and regains her. 21. The birth and circum- 
cision of Isaac — Sarah rejoices — Hagar and Ishmael are sent 
away. 22. The trial of Abraham's faith in offering up Isaac. 23. 
The age and death of Sarah — the purchase of Machpelah, where 
Sarah was buried. 24. Abraham swears his servant, and sends 
him to seek a wife for Isaac — his journey — Eebekah meets him, 
invites him home, introduces him to her friends, and consents to 
go with him — he hrings her to Isaac, and she becomes his wife. 

25. The age, death, and burial of Abraham — age and death of 
Ishmael — birth of Esau and Jacob — Esau sells his birthright. 

26. Isaac removes to Gerar because of famine — God blesses him 
there — he is reproved for denying his wife — he grows rich — 
Esau survives. 27. Jacob feigns himself to be Esau, and obtains 
his father's blessing. 28. The Vision of Jacob's Ladder — his 
vow. 29. Jacob's first interview with Eachel — he covenants for 
her — he is deceived with Leah — births of Reuben, Simeon, 
Levi, and Judah. 30. Rachel bears Joseph — Jacob becomes 
rich. 31. Jacob leaves Laban and is pursued by him. 32. Jacob 
wrestles with an angel — is called Israel — and made to halt. 
33. The meeting of Jacob and Esau — their kindness to each 
other. 34. Dinah is ravished by Shechem — the sons of Jacob 
slay the Shechemites, and spoil their city. 35. Benjamin is born 
— Rachel dies. 36. Esau's wives — the Kings of Edom. 37. 
Joseph is hated of his brethren — his dreams — his death con- 
spired — is sold to the Israelites — is sold to Potiphar. 38. 
The birth and sin of Onan. 39. Joseph is advanced in Potiphar's 
house — resists the temptation of his mistress — is falsely ac- 
cused, and cast into prison. 40. The dreams of the butler and 
baker of Pharaoh in prison — Joseph interprets them. 41, Pha- 
raoh's two dreams — Joseph interprets them — gives Pharaoh 
advice — is advanced — begets Manasseh ami Ephraim — the 
famine commences. 42 to 47. Contain the remaining part of the 
history of Joseph. 48. Joseph with his sons visit Jacob in his 
sickness, who blesses them, and foretells their return to Canaan. 



816 EXODUS. 

49. Jacob blesses his sons — charges the in concerning his burial 

— and dies. 50. Joseph goes to bury his father — the funeral — 
Joseph comforts his brethren who begged his pardon — his age 

— he lives to see the third generation of his sons — foretell- to 

brethren of their return — takes an oath of them concerning 
his bones — he dies — is embalmed and put into a coffin in Egypt 

— in which he was carefully preserved. 

EXODUS. 

This is the second book of Moses ; and is called Exodus, on 
account of its relating to the history of the Israelites' leaving 
Egypt: as the word signifies departure, or going forth. It is a 
narrative of the transactions of about 145 years, from the death 
of Joseph, to the erection of the tabernacle, in the year of the 
world 2514. 

Chapter 1. Describes God's kindness and the Egyptians' 
wickedness to Israel. They were oppressed — enslaved, and 
their children murdered. 2. The birth and preservation of 
Closes. 3. God's appearing unto Moses in the burning bush. 
4. God's message by Moses to Pharaoh. 4 to 12. Moses' 
miracles — the ten plagues on Egypt — the departure of the 
Israelites. 13 to 19. Their passage through the sea — the de- 
struction of Pharaoh and his host in the same — their journey- 
ings to mount Sinai. 20. The ten commandments. 21 to 23. 
Laws for servants and different crimes. 24. Moses is forty days 
in the mountain. 25. The orders given to Moses for the erecting 
and furnishing of a tabernacle to the honor and service of God. 
26 and 27. Further instructions concerning the tabernacle for the 
worship of God. 28. Aaron and his sons are set apart for the 
priest's office. 29. Orders given concerning the priests — the 
altar — and daily sacrifice. 30. The altar of incense, and ransom 
of souls. 31. The observation of the Sabbath again commanded 
= receives the two tables. 32. The people in the absence 
of Moses make and worship a calf. 33. The Lord talketh 
familiarly with Moses. 34. Moses, after forty days, returns from 
the mount with the two tables. The 35th and five following 
chapters ; relate to the Sabbath — the free gifts — the liberality 



LEVITICUS — NUMBERS. 317 

of the people — the ark — the altar — the clothes of service — 
and the rearing of the tabernacle. 

Saint Paul, in the tenth chapter of his first epistle to the 
Corinthians, has furnished us with a practical improvement of 
many of the events recorded in this book. 

Moses — the vision of the burning bush — the pillar of cloud 
and fire — the manna — the rock — and the tabernacle, were all 
typical, and pre-figured Christ. The deliverance of the children 
of Israel from Egyptian bondage, strikingly sets forth our deliv- 
erance from sin ; and their journeyings through the wilderness, 
resemble ours through this world. 

LEVITICUS. 

This third book of Moses is called Leviticus, because it treats 
chiefly of those laws and offices relating to the Levitical priest- 
hood. The first seven chapters prescribe the laws of the various 
offerings. In the eighth chapter we have an account of the 
consecration of Aaron and his sons to the priest's office — the 
death of Nadab and Abihu, two of Aaron's sons, for offering 
common fire, which God had forbidden. 11 to 15. The laws 
relating to uncleanness, and means of purification. The 17th and 
five following chapters contain laws prohibiting the eating of 
blood — sacrificing to devils — thefts — alliance with the Canaan- 
ites, and other sins. 23. Laws for the feasts of passover — pente- 
cost — trumpets — expiation — and the feast of tabernacles. 24 
One is punished with death for blasphemy. 25. Rules laid down 
for the years of release and Jubilee. 26. Mercy is promised to 
.the penitent, and vengeance threatened to the disobedient. The 
last chapter gives regulations concerning things devoted to the 
Lord. 

The best commentary that can be given to this book, is the 
epistle to the Hebrews. The things here described are but 
the shadows of which Christ is the xubxtunce. 

NUMBERS. 

Such is the name of the fourth book of Moses ; and is so called 
because it relates to the DOmbering8 and journeyings of the 



318 DEUTERONOMY — JOSHUA. 

Hebrews in the desert. It is a history of about thirty-nine years. 
It shows how the promise to Abraham was literally fulfilled : 
See Gen. xv. 5. This promise has also a spiritual fulfilment : 
Gal. iii. 29. This book gives an account of the journeyings — 
murmurings — and punishments of the Israelites. Chapter 22 
gives an account of Balak's fruitless attempts to curse them. 
The brazen serpent is a striking type of the Redeemer, who was 
hung on the cross — and is held up on the pole of the gospel : 
See chap. 21 ; and John iii. 14. 15 ; xii. 32, 33. 

DEUTERONOMY. 

Deuteronomy is the last book of Closes. Its name signifies 
the second laic; or a second edition of the law. It briefly recounts 
many of the circumstances recorded in the former books ; and 
records no new history but that of the death of Closes in the last 
chapter. The eighteenth verse of the eighteenth chapter is a very 
clear prophecy of Christ. Notwithstanding this book contains 
much of what has gone before it. it may be considered more 
sublime, and its matter plainer, than either of the former books. 
It is full of instructions ; and abounds with practical directions, 
as applicable to us as to Israel. 

JOSHUA. 

We are not certain that Joshua wrote this book, though it is 
called by his name ; but if any one else wrote it they must have 
had his journals or memoirs. Joshua was first called Oshea : 
Numb. xiii. 16 ; or Hoshea : Dent, xxxii. 44 ; but to show that he 
would render Israel safe and happy, he was called Jehoshua or 
Joshua, which signifies the Saviour; hence he is called Jesus: 
See Acts vii. 45 ; Heb. iv. 8. Joshua was a descendant of 
Ephraim ; and was born, A.M. 2460. The book of Joshua con- 
tains the history of about thirty years : it gives an account of the 
conquest and division of the land of Canaan — the happiness of 
God's peculiar people — the awful judgments inflicted on their 
enemies — and shows how exactly God fulfilled his promises to 
Abraham, in giving to his seed Canaan for a possession. TVhen 
Joshua found that his end drew near, he assembled the Hebrews 



JUDGES — RUTH. 319 

and briefly recounted to them the great things that God had done 
for them and their fathers ; and caused them to renew their 
covenant with God in the most solemn manner. He died at the 
age of one hundred and ten years ; and was buried at Timnath- 
Serah : See chap. xxiv. 

Joshua might be considered a very distinguished type of the 
Kedeemer. God called and qualified him for his office, and was 
with him in all his undertakings : and even his name is pregnant 
with salvation. 

JUDGES. 

This book contains the history of about 309 years ; and is a 
very short account of the affairs of Israel, from the death of 
Joshua to that of Samson. It contains two parts — the first one 
ending at the sixteenth chapter, and which comprises a regular 
history ; and the five following chapters contain some remarkable 
events which happened during that time. The Jews had ordinary 
judges both for civil and religious causes. The high priest was a 
kind of supreme judge. No judge was allowed to receive pres- 
ents ; nor to regard men either for poverty or greatness ; and all 
were required to honor them : See Exod. xxiii. ; Deut. xvi. 18-20. 
Some of them were immediately called of God, and others were 
elected by the people : See the third and eleventh chapters. 

The judges executed the laws — reformed or protected religion 
— punished malefactors — had the sole management of peace and 
war — and had an absolute authority in deciding causes. But 
they levied no taxes, and had no other attendance than what their 
own income would allow them. 

In the sinful conduct of the Israelites, we cannot help observ- 
ing the awful depravity of man — the certainty of punishment 
following sin — and the goodness of God in forgiving sins ; while 
all their temporal deliverers may point to Christ, our Captain, 
Deliverer, and Judge. 

RUTH. 

We have in this book a short history of the domestic affairs of 
one particular Family; and it is probable, that Samuel was the 
writer of it. Its design is to show us how conversant Providence 



320 1 SAMUEL— 2 SAMUEL. 

is about all our private concerns ; and to teach us to acknowledge 
God in all our ways ; and to lead us to Christ, who descended 
from Ruth; a part of whose genealogy concludes the book: See 
Matt. i. 5. In the first chapter, we have an account of the afflic- 
tions of Xaonii and Ruth. 2. Of their industry and humility. 
3. Of their being brought into an alliance with Boaz. 4. Their 
happy settlement. 

Let us follow Christ as Ruth followed Xaomi ; and then, like 
her, we shall not lose our reward : See chap. i. 16, 17 : and then 
say the same of Christ. 

1 SAMUEL. 

This book contains the history of about eighty years — the 
prayer of Hannah — the birth of Samuel — the destruction of 
Eli's house — the Israelites requiring a king — the anointing 
of Saul — and of David — the persecutions of David — and the 
death of Saul and his sons. And from the whole we may learn 
the great difference that is made by true religion. Compare the 
conduct and end of Saul with that of David : and the behavior 
of Eli's sons with that of Samuel. 

From the history of Eli. Samuel, and David, we may learn, that 
it is through much tribulation we must enter the kingdom of 
heaven. See Acts xiv. 22. And in Eli's sons. Saul, and Xabal, 
we may observe, that sin is the high-road to ruin, misery, and 
death. But above all. let your eye of faith be fixed on Christ, of 
whom David was a type : and by looking at the oppositions — 
afflictions — persecutions — deliverances — and final triumph of 
David, you may be enabled to see much of your Saviour; and 
learn that his grace has ever been sufficient for all who have put 
their trust in him. 

2 SAMUEL. 

In this book we are furnished with a history of the reign of 
David for about forty years. It gives an account of his accession 
to the throne — his victories — and his attempts to promote 
religion. Chapter 11. Contains the account of David's sin in the 
case of Uriah. 12. Xathan's parable of the ewe-lamb, and birth 
of Solomon. 13. Amnon ravishes Tamar. 11 to 19. The rebel- 



1 KINGS — 2 KINGS. 321 

lion of Absalom. 20. Kebellion of Sheba. 21. Three years famine 

— Saul's seven sons hanged — the bones of Saul and Jonathan 
are buried. 24. The plague in consequence of David's com- 
pelling Joab to number the people — and his deep repentance of 
his sin. 

In David's fall, we may easily discover the strength and prev- 
alence of man's corruption ; and in his recovery the extent and 
efficacy of divine grace. It is probable that Samuel wrote the 
history of his own time ; and that, after his death, some of the 
prophets that were with David continued it. David's reign pre- 
figures the reign of Christ. See Eom. xv. 4 ; Luke i. 31-33. 

1 KINGS. 

This book contains the history of 126 years. In chapter 1. 
We have an account of Solomon's appointment to the throne. 2. 
Of David's death. 3 to 10. The glorious reign of Solomon — the 
building of the temple — the Queen of Sheba's admiration of 
Solomon's wisdom — his gold — and his chariots. 11. The cloud 
behind which Solomon's sun went down. 12 to 14. The divisions 
in the kingdom in the reign of Rehoboam — his and Jeroboam's 
reign. (From the time the kingdom was divided, the ten tribes 
were called Israel; and the two tribes of the kingdom of Judah 
were called Jeivs.) 15, 16. The reigns of Abijah and Asa (nor 
Judah — and Baasha and Omri over Israel. 17 to 22. An account 
of Elijah's miracles — Ahab's success — wickedness — and fall. 

From the whole, it is evident that kings arc but men; and. as 
such, are mortal and accountable. However we may look u\nm 
Solomon's person, his quiet reign seems to be a type oi' the peace- 
ful reign of the Redeemer. There can be no doubt of the temple 
itself, wherein sacrifices were offered, being a figure oi' the church 
of Christ. When Israel followed the Lord, it went well with 
them, but no longer. 

•J KINGS. 

We have in this book the history of .'Ml years. Chapters 1 
and 2 contain the account of Elijah's fetching fire from heaven 

— and ascending in a chariot of fire to heaven. 3 to 7. 



322 1 CHKOXICLES — 2 CHRONICLES. 

many miracles of Elisha. 8 to 10. Of the anointing of Hazael 
and Jehu — the former for the correction of Israel — and the lat- 
ter for the destruction of the house of wicked Ahab. 11 to 16. 
The reigns of the several kings of Judah and Israel. 17. The 
captivity of the ten tribes. 18 to 20. The glorious reign of good 
old Hezekiah — his sickness — prayer and death. 21. Manasseh's 
wicked reign and death. 22. Josiah's good reign. 23 to 25. 
Josiah's death — the siege and destruction of Jerusalem by the 
king of Babylon. The ten tribes of Israel, for their wickedness, 
were carried captive to Assyria. And about 160 years afterward. 
Judah was carried captive to Babylon. 

We may learn from the whole, that, while righteousness exaltetli 
a nation, sin is a disgrace to any people. Observe the faithful- 
ness and goodness of God. 

1 CHRONICLES. 

In the first nine chapters of this first book of Chronicles, we 

have a collection of sacred genealogies from Adam to David ; with 
many other short, but useful passages, not before inserted. Prom 
10 to 21, we have a repetition of the removal of the kingdom 
from Saul to David — of David's reign — his victories — and his 
sin in numbering the people, which caused the death of 70,000 — 
and the staying of the plague. 20 to 29. An original account of 
David's settling the church affairs — and the preparations he 
made for building the temple. 

The genealogies are of importance, to prove that Christ came 
of the seed of Abraham. And David is a bright example of zeal 
and piety ; though not without some spots, which show the best 
of men to be but mortal. 

2 CHRONICLES. 

The first nine chapters of this book contain an account of Sol- 
omon's peaceful reign — his greatness — his laborers for building 
the temple — the place and time of building the temple — the 
dedicated treasures — the queen of Sheba's admiration of Solo- 
mon's wisdom — his gold — his chariots and horses. 10 to 12. 
The reproachful reign of Kehoboam. 13. The three years' reign 




EZRA. 323 

of Abijah. 14 to 16. The long and comfortable reign of Asa. 17 
to 20. The pious and successful reign of Jehoshaphat. 21, 22. 
The wicked and short reigns of Jehoram and Ahaziah. 23. 
Jehoiada restores the worship of God. 24, 25. The reigns of 
Joash and Amaziah — their falling to idolatry — and deaths. 26. 
The long and prosperous reign of Uzziah ; who, for invading the 
priest's office, was smitten with a leprosy. 27. The orderly and 
prosperous reign of Jotham. 28. The impious reign of Ahaz. 
29 to 32. The pious and glorious reign of good Hezekiah — and 
destruction of the Assyrian host by an angel of the Lord — 
Hezekiah's death — and Manasseh's accession to the throne. 33. 
The infamous reigns of Manasseh and Amon. 34, 35. The good 
reign of Josiah. 36. The destructive reigns of the sons of 
Josiah. 

In the two books of Chronicles, we have a general view of the 
whole history from the Creation to the return of the Babylonish 
captivity ; in all, about 3468 years. The whole history is con- 
fined to the kings of Judah. 

EZRA. 

The history of this book is the accomplishment of Jeremiah's 
prediction concerning the return of the Jews out of Babylon, 
after 70 years' captivity. Ezra, whose name signifies a helper, 
preserved the records of that great revolution, and transmitted 
them to the church in this book. In chapters 1, 2, we have the 
account of their return from Babylon. 3 to 7. Of the rebuilding 
of the temple — the oppositions made by their enemies — its com- 
pletion, and dedication. 7, 8. Of Ezra's coming to Jerusalem with 
the commission of the king Artaxerxes — and of Ezra's compan- 
ions who came with him. 9, 10. Of the great service Ezra was 
to the people — his compelling those who had married strange 
wives to put them away — his mourning — prayer, and confes- 
sion. 

This book gives the history of about 80 years j and shows the 
benefit of afflictions to those, who, like the Jews in their captivity, 
seek after God. It ought also to excite us to be more than ever 

zealous iii the cause of God, however we may be persecuted and 



324 NEHEMIAH — ESTHER. 

depressed; seeing that they who trust in Hirn will in the end 
triumph. 

NEHEMIAH. 

Xehemiah, whose name signifies consolation, was governor 
of Jucleah for twelve years, under Artaxerxes king of Persia. 
Chapters 1 and 2, inform us of the great concern Xehemiah had 
for Jerusalem — and the commission he received from the king 
to go thither. 3, 4. The great opposition he had to contend with 
in building the wall of Jerusalem. 5. The manner in which he 
redressed the grievance of his people. 6. The finishing of the 
wall, to the terror and confusion of their enemies. 7. His account 
of the people with their substance. 8 to 10. The solemn duties 
he called the people to. 11. The choosing of the rulers — and a 
catalogue of their names. 13. The names of the priests and 
levites — the dedication of the walls. 13. His great zeal in 
reforming different abuses. 

This truly pious man probably wrote his own history; and 
after he had governed the Jewish state about thirty-six years he 
died, about A.M. 3595. The great love that he bore to his 
afflicted brethren is a pattern we should imitate. 

ESTHER. 

Although the name of God is not in this book, the hand of 
God is plainly to be seen all through it. Esther, whose name 
signifies secret, gives an account of a most remarkable interposi- 
tion of Divine Providence on the behalf of those Jews who were 
scattered abroad among the heathen. The history is continued 
through a period of about 20 years. AVe are informed in chapters 
1 and 2, how Esther came to be queen, and Mordecai to be so 
highly honored at court. 3. The cause of Hainan's hatred — and 
the arts by which he obtained an order to destroy all the Jews. 
4. The great distress of the Jews on account thereof. 5 to 7. 
Hainan's particular plot to take the life of AEordecai defeated — 
and himself hung upon the lofty gallows he had erected for Mor- 
decai. 8. The defeating of the general plot against the Jews — 
Mordecai's honor and the Jews' rejoicing. 9, 10. The hanging of 



job. 325 

Hainan's sons — and the care that was taken to perpetuate the 
remembrance of this deliverance. 

It is a matter of great uncertainty who wrote this sacred story ; 
but perhaps none were better qualified to do it than Mordecai 
himself. Various were the links in the chain with which this 
deliverance was effected ; and the whole goes to prove, that, " the 
eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open to 
their cry:" Ps. xxxiv. 15. "He taketh the wise in their own 
craftiness." Job v. 13 ; 1 Cor. iii. 10. 

JOB. 

Job, whose name signifies he that weeps, was a celebrated inhab- 
itant of the land of Uz ; and is supposed to have lived before 
Moses. But that he did live is quite certain ; for God mentions 
him as a righteous man, together with Noah and Daniel : Ezek. 
xiv. 14, 20. And the apostle James speaks of his patience and 
happy end: James v. 11. This book stands unconnected with 
any other ; and may be considered doctrinal, though the dialogues 
are poetical; and it is called one of the poetical books. It contains 
an account of Job's heavy afflictions, and his great patience under 
them ; his deliverance from them, and happy end. 

The first chapter informs us of the piety, riches, and religious 
care of Job for his children — of the loss of his goods and chil- 
dren — his mourning, and blessing God. 2. Of his sore bodily 
affliction — his wife's telling him to curse God. 3. He complains 
of life because of his anguish. His chief friends during his afflic- 
tions, were, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, Zophar 
the Naamathite, and a young man named Elihu. Long confer- 
ences were held between them ; and though they mistook Job's 
case, and charged him with hypocrisy, they gave many excellent 
advices to duty, and intermingled many useful hints concerning 
God. Elihu's discourse in chapters 32 to 42, appears to have had 
the best effect upon Job's mind. He humbles himself to God, 

who stirs him lip to show Ins righteousness, power, and wisdom. 

Job's troubles were no sooner removed, than his Eriends came 

in from every quarter with presents; and it was not long before 

ere double what they had formerly been, As God 



326 PSALMS. 

found no fault with Elihu, it appears that what he said was true ; 
and from his finding fault with Job and his other friends for 
their speeches, it is evident, also, that we must not look to them 
as a perfect standard for our faith and practice ; but must let 
other parts of Scripture determine how far we are to follow them. 
We may consider Job as a patient sufferer ; and imitate his faith 
in the Eedeemer. See Job xix. 23 to 29. If we look upon him 
as a type of Christ, and he appears to be a very striking one, we 
may well exclaim, How rich was he who for our sakes became 
poor, that we through his poverty might be rich ! 2 Cor. viii. 
9. How great were his sufferings from God! Eom. viii. 32. 
How greatly was he tried by Satan ! Matt. iv. 1 to 11. How 
falsely accused and insulted by men ! Luke xxiii. How surpris- 
ingly great his patience and resignation ! Matt. xxvi. 42. How 
highly exalted after his humiliation and suffering ! Phil. ii. 6-11. 
How numerous and honorable his family, after his poverty and 
affliction ! Heb. ii. 9-13. It will be well for us, in all things to 
imitate Job, as far as he resembles our dear Eedeemer, who has 
commanded us to learn of him. 

PSALMS. 

This book is one of the most extensive and useful in the Bible. 
The Psalms were composed by different persons, and at different 
times ; and there can be no doubt of David's having composed 
most of them. They contain the sum of the whole Bible ; and 
are suited to every case and condition of the saints. And in 
order to assist you in finding those that will be best suited to 
your case, I have given the following list of the Psalms : 

Psalms describing the majesty, power, glory, and other attri- 
butes of God — 8, 19, 24, 29, 33, 47, 50, 65, 66, 76, 77, 93, 95, 96, 
97, 99, 104, 111, 113, 114, 115, 134, 139, 147, 148. 

Penitential prayers are found in 6, 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143. 

Prayers for pardon of sin — 25, 38, 51, 130. 

Prayers for God's help —7, 17, 26, 35, 44. 

Prayers when lawfully detained from public worship — 42, 43, 
63, 84. 

Prayers when cast down by affliction — 13, 22, 69, 77, 88, 143. 



PSALMS. 327 

Prayers when laboring under persecutions or afflictions — 44, 60, 
74, 79, 80, 83, 89, 94, 102, 123, 137. 

Confidence in God in afflictions — 3, 16, 27, 31, 54, 56, 57, 61, 
62, 71, 86. 

Confidence in God when in trouble — 4, 5, 11, 28, 41, 55, 59, 
64, 79, 109, 120, 140, 142. 

Intercession — 20, 67, 122, 132, 144. 

Psalms of adoration and praise, exhibiting God's love, mercy, 
and goodness to his people — 23, 34, 36, 91, 100, 103, 107, 117, 
121, 145, 146, 150. 

The characters of good and bad men — their happiness and 
misery — 1, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 24, 25, 32, 34, 36, 37, 50, 
52, 53, 58, 73, 75, 84, 91, 92, 94, 112, 119, 121, 125, 127, 128, 133. 

The vanity of human life— 39, 49, 90. 

Humility — 131. 

The excellency of God's law — 19, 119. 

Advice to judges — 82, 101. 

Historical — 78, 105, 106. 

Prophetical — 2, 16, 22, 40, 45, 68, 72, 87, 100, 118. 

Psalms of thanksgiving for mercies to particular persons — 9, 
18, 22, 30, 34, 40, 75, 103, 108, 116, 118, 138, 144. 

To the Israelites— 46, 48, 65, 66, 68, 76, 81, 85, 98, 105, 124, 
126, 129, 135, 136, 149. 

This book is referred to in Luke xxiv. 44 ; and is there called 
" the Psalms." The apostle Peter calls it " the Book of Psalms : n 
Acts i. 20. Some of the Psalms that have not David's name in 
their title, are elsewhere ascribed to him ; as Ps. ii., Acts iv. 25 ; 
and Psalms xcvi. and cv., 1 Chron. xvi. 7. David was a type of 
Christ, as was the Jewish nation of God's worshipping people 
— and their Canaan, of that rest into which we enter by believ- 
ing in Jesus, our Joshua. 

An acquaintance with the two books of Chronicles will greatly 
assist you in the studying of the Psalms; for there you have the 
history of the writer of them. And the more you become ac- 
quainted with experimental religion, the more highly will you 
prize the book of Psalms. For whatever the situation might be in 
which you may he placed, you may always meet with something 



328 PROVERBS — ECCLESIASTES. 

in this book adapted to your case. And whatever may be your 
errand at a throne of grace, you may from thence derive some- 
thing to assist you in the delivery of it ; and always find a running 
stream to quench your thirst, and cheer your soul. 

PROVERBS. 

Solomon spake three thousand proverbs ; and his Songs were 
a thousand and five: 1 Kings iv. 32. The most part of this 
book consists of short, independent sentences, spoken by Solomon, 
the wisest of men. It is generally supposed that Solomon, whose 
name signifies peaceable, wrote this book of proverbs about the 
middle of his life, when his understanding was in full vigor and 
under the inspiration of the Spirit of truth. This book abounds 
with short sentences generally understood, easily remembered, 
and not difficult to practise. Many have not always leisure to 
read, or penetration to comprehend long discourses ; but proverbs 
neither burden the memory, nor puzzle the understanding. 

The latter part of the first chapter exhibits the gospel-call — 
and the awful calamities brought upon the Jews, and others, by 
rejecting it. The eighth, and former part of the ninth chapters, 
represent Jesus Christ in his person, office, and benefits. The 
rest of the book relates, in general, to moral virtues and their 
contrary vices. This book stands unrivalled for wise speeches 
and wholesome advices. And it is a sad reflection upon the 
writer of such a book, having so awfully apostatized from God 
in his old age ; and should be a warning to those who are the 
most useful, never to grow proud, or think themselves secure. 
And as God made use of him as a pen, in making known His 
will to us, we should never think the worse of, but attend to, the 
instructions given. We have a short, but sad, account of his 
abominable conduct and doubtful end, in the eleventh chapter of 
the first book of Kings, « Tell it not in Gath!" 2 Sam. i. 20. 

ECCLESIASTES. 

Solomon, in the title of this book, writes himself "the son of 
David, King of Jerusalem;" perhaps on account of his influence 
being less over the ten tribes, than what it was at the time he 



Solomon's song. 329 

wrote his book of Proverbs ; for there he writes himself " the 
King of Israel:" Prov. i. 1. This book appears to have been 
written in his old age ; after he had in vain tried to find satisfac- 
tion in the wealth, honor, and pleasures of the world, and the 
gratification of every sense. By some this book is called "peni- 
tential;" but to me, it looks like a penitential; that is, a book 
directing the degrees of penance, rather than one expressing 
r penitence. 

Xo one ever possessed the advantages that Solomon did, for 
proving that no created good can satisfy an immortal soul ; and 
that real happiness is to be found in God alone ; and the con- 
clusions here given us, he has drawn from his own experience. 
In the first chapter he shows, that all human courses are vain. 
2. That one event happeneth to the wise and the foolish, yet one 
is better than the other. 3. There is a time to every purpose. 
4. How vanity is increased. 5. Vanity in murmuring, oppression, 
and riches. 6. Vanity of riches without use. 7. The remedies 
against vanity are a good name — mortification — patience — and 
wisdom. 8. It is well with the godly. 9. Like things happen 
to all — God's providence over all — wisdom is better than strength. 
10. Observations on wisdom and folly. 11. The day of judg- 
ment to be thought of in youth. 12. God should be sought early ; 
as an early consideration of divine things is the only infallible 
remedy against vanity. 

Attend to the preacher's godly directions ; but imitate none of 
his ungodly actions : for, though Solomon was the writer, God 
was the Dictator. 

Solomon's sox<;. 

This book is an allegory, written by Solomon, and is commonly 
understood to represent the mutual love of Christ and his Church, 
under the endearing and well-known figure of a bridegroom and 
bride. .Many Btrange opinions have born given of it ; and to such 

as read it with a carnal, and especially a wanton mind, it is the 
savor of death unto death. Some have supposed that he wrote 

it while very young ; — Ion-- before his hook of Proverbs, It is 

called a SOng Of 90ngs; — ami we are constrained to acknowledge. 



330 ISAIAH. 

that Solomon's songs are very unlike those of his father David. 
The name of God is not once mentioned throughout the whole of 
this book ; nor was it introduced as the other books of Scripture 
were, by vision ; nor any other mark of immediate revelation ; 
neither does it contain any expression of natural religion; — nor 
is there any part of it ever quoted by any of the New-Testament 
writers. The advice given by the Jewish doctors to their young 
people, was. not to read it till they were thirty years of age ; lest, 
by reading it with corrupt minds, they should suck out poison 
instead of food and medicine. But, admitting it to be Scripture, 
we are assured of its being given by inspiration, and that for our 
profit : 2 Tim. iii. 16. It might very easily be taken in a spirit- 
ual sense by those for whom it was first composed ; viz. the Jews ; 
but more especially by the Christian church, who have much 
clearer displays of divine love under the gospel, than what they 
had under the law. 

God sometimes spake of himself to the Jewish church as a 
Husband: Isa. liv. 5; Hos. ii. 16, 19; and rejoiced in the same 
as his bride : Isa. lxii. 4, 5. But more frequently is Christ spoken 
of as a Bridegroom : Matt. xxv. 1 ; Bom. vii. 4; 2 Cor. xi. 2 ; Eph. 
v. 32 ; and the church as the bride, the Lamb's wife : Eev. xix. 7 ; 
xxi. 2, 9. It is impossible for any unconverted person rightly 
to understand this book ; but those who can truly say of Christ 
"this is my beloved." and consider him to be "the fairest among 
ten thousands and altogether lovely: 7 may read it to advantage. 

ISAIAH. 

This and the fifteen following books are prophetical ; they 
abound with figures borrowed from nature. The sun, moon, and 
stars, are frequently made use of to represent kings, queens, and 
others in authority ; mountains and hills, to set forth kingdoms 
and cities ; marriages to show God's covenant-love ; and adultery, 
departure from God. 

A prophet is one who has an intimacy with, and an interest in 
heaven ; and, consequently, a commanding authority upon earth. 
Prophecy is put for the whole of revelation : 2 Pet. i. 20, 21. It 
will greatly assist you in studying the writings of any prophet, 



JEREMIAH. 331 

to read those chapters in the historical books which give an 
account of the times in which that prophet lived. You will find 
the history of the times in which Isaiah lived, in 2 Kings, chap, 
xiv. to xx., and 2 Chron. xxvi. to xxxiii. He began his predic- 
tions in the reign of Uzziah, and prophesied to Hezekiah; for 
about 60 years. He has very fitly been called the Evangelical 
Prophet ; on account of his so fully describing the Saviour. He 
prophesied of the Redeemer between 7 and 800 years before he 
came into the world ; notwithstanding, his predictions give as 
minute a description of him, as though he had been an eye-witness 
to the whole. His chief scope appears to have been the foretell- 
ing of the incarnation, sufferings and glory, of the Messiah ; — 
the erection of his church among the Gentiles; — the rejection 
of the Jews, and their final restoration. 

In chapters 7 and 14, he speaks of the Saviour's birth. 53. Of 
his sufferings and death. 52 and 54. Of his kingdom and glory. 
He was a very faithful prophet ; though, it appears, not a very 
successful one : Isa. xlix. 1-5. He labored hard for about 60 
years ; and is supposed to have been sawn asunder, about the 
beginning of Manasseh's wicked reign : Heb. xi. 37. His name 
signifies salvation of the Lord 

JEREMIAH. 

The name of this prophet signifies exaltation or grandeur of the 
Lord. He began his work in the thirteenth year of Josiah ; and 
continued it about forty years. We have the history of the times 
in which he lived recorded in 2 Kings xxiii. to xxv., and 2 Chron. 
xxxiv., xxxvi. 

The first part of this prophecy chiefly consists of a mixture of 
severe censures against the sins of the Jews; and awful threat- 
enings of heavy judgments, with some calls to repentance; and 
complaints of his own heavy afflictions. He began when young, 
and continued long a prophet; some say fifty years; and others 
forty. That he was called to suffer much we cannot doubt; 
hence, he is called the "weeping prophet" But where, or how, he 
died, is not certain; though some have supposed, that he was 
stoned to death. The Last chapter of this hook iUu^ not appear 



332 LAMENTATIONS — EZEKIEL. 

to have been written by Jeremiah, but by some other person 
divinely inspired among those who were in captivity. 

LAMENTATIONS. 

This book was written by the prophet Jeremiah, who com- 
posed his lamentations on the destruction of Jerusalem. They 
consist of five chapters. In chapters 1 and 2, he laments the 
miseries of the siege. 3. His own particular afflictions. 4. He 
bewails the destruction of the city and temple — the miseries 
of all ranks — and denounces certain ruin upon the Edoniites, for 
their cruelty. 5. He further laments the direful effects of the 
famine to which they wer 3 reduced by the siege — and prays for 
their deliverance. 

The whole of the book is very pathetic, and seems as though 
every word had been wrung from a broken heart and written 
with a tear. In 2 Chron. xxxv. 25, we are told that Jeremiah 
wrote some lamentations on the death of Josiah : but it appears 
they have been lost ; for it is evident, these were written on the 
destruction of Judah and Jerusalem by the Chaldeans' army. 
The Evangelist, Matthew, xxvii. 9, ascribes to Jeremiah a proph- 
ecy found in Zechariah xi. 12, 13. Jeremiah might have uttered 
that prediction, — Matthew does not say he wrote it, — and Zech- 
ariah might have repeated it ; or, as Jeremiah formerly stood in 
the front of the prophetic writings, the Jews might have called 
the whole book by his name ; as the books of Moses were called 
by their first word. 

EZEKIEL. 

Ezekiel's name bespeaks his having strength of God; and it is 
evident, that as God gave him his commission, so he gave him 
strength to execute it. He wrote his prophecies at Babylon ; and 
the history of the times in which he lived you will find in 2 
Chron. xxxvi. and 2 Kings xxiv. and xxv. There is much in this 
book hard to be understood; the waters run so deep that the 
tallest soon get out of their depth ; however, we may swim in it, 
though Ave cannot ford through it, and may profit by it. His vis- 
ions may be obscure, but his preaching is so plain that none need 



DANIEL. 33S 

mistake it. The beginning and latter end of this book appear to 
be the most mysterious ; and though, like the book of nature, it 
cannot be all understood, much may be gathered to strengthen 
our faith, and encourage our hope in God, whose ways and 
thoughts are not ours. 

This prophet foretells the awful calamities that were hanging 
over Judea — predicts the ruin of those nations which had insulted 
the Jews in their afflictions — exhorts them to repentance — com- 
forts them with promises of deliverance — and foretells the future 
glory of the church, under the figure of a new temple. He began 
his predictions in the fifth year of Jehoiakim's captivity, and 
continued about nineteen years. It is supposed that he was put 
to death by the captives in Babylon, for faithfully reproving 
them ; and that he was dragged along the stones till his brains 
were dashed out. 

DANIEL. 

This prophet was of the royal family of Judah, and was car- 
ried captive to Babylon with others ; and it was under the cap- 
tivity that he prophesied. God speaks of him as one of those 
who had the greatest interest in heaven ; Ezek. xiv. 14. He lived 
a long and active life; and was in the courts and councils of 
some of the greatest monarchs that ever reigned ; as Nebuchad- 
nezzar, Cyrus, and Darius. The first six chapters of his book 
are historical, and are plain and easy ; but the last six are propheti- 
cal) and contain many things that are dark, and hard to be under- 
stood; but perhaps these prophecies are rendered obscure from 
the want of a more complete history of the Jewish nation from 
Daniel's time to the coming of Christ. He foretells the time 
when the Eedeerner would make his appearance, more exactly 
than any other of the prophets. In chapter ix. 24, he states the 
time at "seventy weeks." A prophetical week is seven years; 
reckoning a day for a year ; and which makes Daniel's 70 weeks 
490 years; and on this account the Messiah was generally 

expected at the time Christ made his appearance in the world. 

Daniel (whose name signifies judgment of Chd) is supposed to 
have died at Susan, in Persia. 



334 HOSEA — JOEL. 

HOSEA. 

Hosea, and the eleven following, are called "the lesser prophets," 
on account of their writings being less in bulk than the others ; 
although it is probable they preached as much as the others. 
Hosea was the first of the writing prophets ; even before Isaiah ; 
and it appears that both Isaiah and Ezekiel frequently borrowed 
from him. Thus, being taught of one Spirit, the one confirms 
what the other has spoken. Before you study the writings of this 
prophet, you would do well to carefully read the chapters here 
referred to : 2 Kings xv. ; 2 Chron. xxvi. ; xxvii. ; xxviii. He 
prophesied before the captivity for about eighty years, in the 
days of Jeroboam, Uzziah, Jotham, and Ahaz, kings of Judah. 
His prophecies chiefly relate to the ten tribes, who were then in 
prosperity; and whom he sharply charges with their murders, 
uncleanness, idolatries, oppression, and reliance on the Assyrians ; 
and intermingles a variety of calls to a reformation of life ; with 
a promise of G-od's blessing on their repentance. He is very 
brief in his manner ; and to us, who are unacquainted with many 
of the ancient customs, appears obscure in his writing. The 
Jews reckon him to have prophesied nearly ninety years ; and 
the scope of his discourses is to discover sin, and denounce the 
judgments of God against the obstinately impenitent. The name 
of Hosea signifies saviour, or salvation. 

JOEL. 

It is not easy to determine the time when Joel prophesied ; 
but, as he makes no mention of the ten tribes, it appears that he 
prophesied after their captivity ; and, perhaps, in the reign of 
Hezekiah or Manasseh. In the first chapter, and former part 
of the second, he speaks of a fearful famine, occasioned by great 
drought, and destructive insects. 2. He exhorts to repentance — 
prescribes a fast — promises a blessing thereon — assures them 
that their evils shall be removed on their repentance and humilia- 
tion — and Zion comforted — the Holy Spirit is promised to be 
poured out in the latter days. And this promise was fulfilled in 
the days of the Apostles : Acts ii. Chapter 3. He denounces 



AMOS — OBADIAH. 335 

God's judgments against the enemies of his people — foretells 
the conversion and restoration of the Jews — the ruin of their 
enemies — and future glorious state of the church. 

To understand Scripture, one part must be compared with 
another. See now, 2 Kings xv. and 2 Chron. xxvi. Joel signi- 
fies he that wills, commands, or swears. 

AMOS. 

This prophet prophesied in the days of Jeroboam, the second 
king of Israel. See chap. vii. ver. 10. Amos was a country 
farmer ; and his name signifies a burden. He appeared a little 
before Isaiah ; and was contemporary with Hosea. He was a 
man faithful and bold in reproving sin ; and shunned not to de- 
nounce the judgments of God upon it. In chapters 1 and 2, he 
threatens, in a most awful manner, those nations that were 
enemies to Israel — and complains of their unthankfulness. 3 
and 4. He calls Israel to an account for their oppression — idol- 
atry — and incorrigibleness. 5. He calls them to repentance. 6. 
He warns them of the desolations that were coming upon them. 
7. He speaks of some particular judgments, particularly on Ama- 
ziah. 8. A famine of the word is threatened. 9. He declares 
the certainty of the desolation — and concludes with a promise 
of the setting up of Messiah's kingdom — the Jews' return from 
Babylon — the conversion of Israel and Judah — and their return 
to their own land. It is probable, Amos lived to see a great part 
of his predictions fulfilled. 

OBADIAH. 

The time when Obadiah lived is not easily determined ; but 
when we compare his predictions with those of Jeremiah, chap, 
xlix.; Ezekiel xxv. ; and Psalm cxxxvii. ; it appears to be but a 
short time after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. 
His prophecy consists but of one chapter; wherein Edom is 

threatened lor their spiteful conduct in rejoicing in, and helping 
forward the destruction of the flews; and concludes with a prom- 
ise of the Redeemer's kingdom being set up. Scripture docs not 
inform US who he was, when he lived, or where he died. Hi. 
name signifies servant of (he Lobp, 



336 JONAH — MICAH — NAHUM. 

JONAH. 

Who this prophet was, is not certain ; though we know he was 
the son of Amittai the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher. See 
2 Kings xiv. 25, and xv. He lived in the days of Jeroboam, the 
son of Joash, king of Israel. The Lord commanded him to go to 
Nineveh and proclaim its ruin ; and his commission appears to 
be the only prediction found in his book ; " Yet forty days and 
Nineveh shall be overthrown : " iii. 4. The rest of the book may 
be considered a relation of the preface to, and the consequences 
of that prediction. 

From the whole we may learn,, that God's commands must be 
obeyed, regardless of all consequences — the danger of disobedi- 
ence — that, though we may fly from duty, we cannot fly from 
God — the only method of escaping ruin, is to repent of our sins. 
It appears that in Nineveh there were 120,000 little children, 
beside much cattle : chap. iv. 11. Jonah's being cast into the sea 
and delivered from it, is a well known type of the burial and res- 
urrection of Christ. See Matt. xii. 39-41 ; xvi. 4 ; Luke xi. 30, 
32. Jonah signifies a dove, though he acted very unlike one. 

MICAH. 

This prophet prophesied in the days of Jotham, Ahaz, and 
Hezekiah, a period of about fifty years. He assisted Isaiah, and 
somewhat resembles him in his style. Compare Isa. ii. 2, 3, with 
Micah iv. 1, 2. He faithfully reproves sinners of all ranks, both 
in church and state ; and endeavors to comfort God's people with 
promises of deliverance. In chap. v. 2, we have a very plain pre- 
diction of Christ, which is quoted by the chief priests and scribes : 
Matt. ii. 5, 6. He predicted the ruin of the city and temple — 
and re-establishment of the Jews. Micah signifies poor, humble. 
Eead 2 Kings xv. to xx. and 2 Chron. xxviii. to xxxii. 

NAHUM. 

We cannot ascertain at what time 1ST ahum lived and prophesied. 
But he is supposed to have lived in the reigns of Hezekiah and 
Manasseh ? See 2 Kings xviii. to xxi. : and 2 Chron. xxix. to 



HABAKKUK — ZEPHANIAH. 337 

xxxiii. He might have said many things relating to Israel and 
Judah, notwithstanding we have nothing in his writing of either ; 
it is evident, Joxah said more than was written : 2 Kings xiv. 
2b. This prophet gives a lofty, but plain description of God in 
his goodness to his people, and wrath against his enemies — de- 
scribes the ruin of Nineveh and the Assyrian empire. His name 
signifies comforter, penitent. 

HABAKKUK. 

Habakkuk prophesied during the reign of Manasseh, and was 
living in the time of Jeremiah. In chapter 1, he foretells the de- 
struction of Judeah and the surrounding countries by the Chal- 
deans, for their iniquity. 2. He predicts the overthrow of the 
Chaldeans for their having overthrown, oppressed, and murdered 
others. 3. He trembles in his prayer — and in a manner the most 
sublime, celebrates God's former goodness in appearing for Israel 
— for bringing them out of Egypt, through the Eed Sea — and 
through the wilderness to Canaan — encourages himself and others 
to trust in God, though every visible mean fail. Let us, like him, 
rejoice in the God of our salvation in the worst of times. You 
will derive further assistance by reading attentively 2 Kings xxi. 
and 2 Chron. xxxiii. This prophet's name signifies he that em- 
braces or wrestles. 

ZEPHANIAH. 

Zkphaniah lived in the days of Josiah, king of Jndah ; an 
account of whose reign you will find in 2 Kings xxii. ; xxiii. ; and 
2 Chron. xxxiv. ; xxxv. Chapter 1. He reproaches and threatens 
the 'lews for their wickedness. 2. He earnestly exhorts them to 
repentance, that the threatened evil might be averted — and pre- 
dicts the ruin of the Philistines, Moabites, Ammonites, Ethiopi- 
ans, and Assyrians. :). He reproves Jerusalem for the wickedness 
found in her, especially anion-- her princes — judges, prophets. 

and priests — and exhorts them to wait for the restoration of 
Israel — seeing God would work out a glorious salvation for 
them, alter he had prepared them for it. His name signifies tin 

secret of the Lord; Ps, xxv. 1 1. 



HAGGAI — ZECHARTAH — MALACHI. 
HAGGAI. 

Haggai begin his prophecies about two months before Zech- 
ariah: and after the Jews had returned from their captivity. 

I Ezra v. 1 : vi. 14. All the prophecies we have recorded by 
this prophet wew lelivered in the short space of four months. 
See chapter i. 1: and ii. 1, 10. 20. He, togethei with Zechariah, 
greatly encouraged their brethren to finish the building of the 
temple. He assured them that the Messiah should come in the 
flesh — that the glory of the latter house should be greater than 
that of the former. See chap. ii. 7-9. The name of Haggai 
signing feast, solemnity. 

ZECHARIAH. 

This prophet began to prophesy while yoang; and about two 
months after Haggai His preaching was plain and practical; 
such as was well calculated, to make a good impression on his 
hearers. In chapter 3. he foretell- >f Christ the branch. 9. Zion 
is exhorted to rejoice for the coming of Christ and his peaceable 
kingdom. 11. H- speaks of the rejection of Christ, and the price 
for which he was sold. 13. Of the death of Christ. 14. The 
coming of the Redeemer and the graces of his kingdom. His 
name signifies what he was. a man of the Lord. 

mala chi. 

The Scriptures give us no account who were the parents of 
this prophet, nor to what country he belonged. But it appears 
plain, that he prophesied after the second temple was built, and 
about " years before the birth of Christ. In chapter 1, after 
reminding the Jews of the great things God had done for them. 
and their fathers, he sharply reproves them for their irreligion 
and profaneness. 2. He reproves the priests for their neglect of 
duty — and the people for their adultery and infidelity. 3. Of 
the near approach — majesty — a:::l ^r.toe :: the Messiah — re- 
bukes them for their sacrilege and blasphemy — and declares the 
- regard that God has for all those who truly fear his name. 
4. He predicts the terrible judgments that awaited those who 




" Good news." — Page 339. 



TESTAMENT. 339 

should reject the Messiah — and concludes by referring to the 
mission of John the Baptist. Malachi signifies my angel 

TESTAMENT. 

The word "testament" signifies the will of a dying man left 
in writing ; by which he determines how his property shall be 
disposed of after his death : Gal. iii. 15. And the testator is 
the deceased person who left the testament or will. Jesus Christ 
is called a Testator, on account of his having bequeathed to 
sinful men his peace : John xiv. 27 ; together with all the un- 
searchable riches of his grace and glory : Heb. ix. 16, 17. The 
writings of Moses and the prophets are called the Old Testament; 
and this testament or will, was published before the birth of the 
Eedeemer. Notwithstanding, it was ratified by his typical death 
in the many sacrifices that were offered ; and which observances 
are now entirely abolished, or done away : See 2 Cor. iii. 15 ; 
Heb. ix. 15. 

The writings of the Evangelists and Apostles are called the New 
Testament ; and may be considered the voluntary act and deed 
of Jesus Christ, duly executed and witnessed, bestowing lega- 
cies on such characters as he has described ; and, being ratified 
by the death of the Testator, can never be abolished. The New 
Testament is the same in substance with the Old; but is more 
spiritual, clear, efficacious, and extensive. The wine in the Lord's 
Supper is called the "new testament in Christ's blood," Matt. xxvi. 
28, because it represents the blood which sealed the covenant God 
has been pleased to make with his creatures ; and all the benefits 
and privileges of it are owing to the merits of that blood, repre- 
sented by the wine : Luke xxii. 20. The Old Testament was con- 
firmed by the blood of bulls and of goats: Exod. xxiv. 8; but 
the New with the blood of Christ ; and without the shedding oi' 
which our sins could never have been removed, nor heaven have 
become our inheritance : Heb. ix. 22. 

The word we have rendered Testament might well be rendered 
Covenant; for it signifies both; and so it. would read New Cove- 
nant. But in speaking of Christ's ad and deed, it is most proper 
to render it Testament; for he is the Testator, and by his death it 



340 GOSPEL — MATTHEW. 

became in force : Heb. ix. 16, 17. There is nothing in the Old 
Testament laid aside by the New Testament but the ceremonial 
law, and peculiarities of the Jews. 

GOSPEL. 

The word " Gospel" signifies good news, or, glad tidings : as it 
exhibits the Covenant of grace ; and is an absolute declaration of 
the good-will of God to man, in freely giving Jesus Christ and 
salvation in him, to be received by the vilest, without money and 
without price : See Luke ii. 10, 11 ; Mark xvi. 15. It is called 
the Gospel of God, on account of its originally coming from him : 
Kom. i. 1. It is called the Gospel of the grace of God, because it 
comes from, and makes known to us, the favor of God ; and is 
the channel through which His grace is conveyed to us : Acts 
xx. 24. It is called the Gospel of Christ, because He is the Author 
and subject matter of it: Bom. i. 16. It is called the Gospel of 
salvation, because it not only tells us that salvation may be had, 
but points out the way of obtaining it ; and offers it to us : Eph. 
i. 13. It is the same Gospel that the Spirit of God preached unto 
Abraham : See Gal. iii. 8 ; Gen. xii. 3 ; xviii. 18 ; xxii. 18 ; xxvi. 
4. Gospel, is also taken for a historical account of what Jesus 
Christ did and said ; of his life, doctrines, miracles, sufferings, 
death, resurrection, and ascension ; hence we say, " the Gospel 
according to Matthew, *' — or Mark, — or Luke, — or John. That 
is, as recorded by them : See Mark i. 1. 

MATTHEW. 

This Evangelist was, by birth, a Galilean; by profession, a 
publican, or inferior tax-gatherer ; by religion, a Jew ; and ordi- 
narily a resident of Capernaum. He left his occupation and 
followed Christ at his command ; and was one of those who con- 
stantly accompanied the Lord Jesus from the baptism of John 
unto the day that he was taken from them : Acts i. 21, 22. He 
is supposed to have written the Gospel, or the good news of 
Christ Jesus coming into the world to save sinners, about A.D. 
41. But in what language he wrote it, the learned are not agreed, 
whether in Hebrew, Syriac, or Greek. He commences with the 



MARK — LUKE. 341 

Redeemer's parentage — birth — the ancestors from whom he 
descended — and the manner of his coming into the world. He 
has exhibited the most evident parts of the Saviour's conduct and 
sufferings in a plain, grave, and dignified manner ; and as he was 
one of the twelve disciples who constantly attended our Lord, this 
history is an account of what he heard and saw. And the other 
Evangelists relate things as they heard and saw them. Matthew 
signifies a reward, 

MARK. 

It is a matter of uncertainty who was the writer of this book ; 
but, be he who he may, we are told his name was Mark. And 
though Marcus was quite a common name among the Eomans, 
the Scriptures leave us little room to doubt of this writer being 
a Jew by birth. In Acts xv. 37, we read of John whose surname 
was Mark ; and with whom Paul was greatly displeased for a 
time; but afterwards showed him great kindness, and ordered 
the churches to receive him: Col. iv. 10. He sent for him to 
assist him in the ministry ; and afterwards spake of him as being 
his fellow-laborer : Philemon 24. Peter, also, speaks of one 
Marcus, and calls him his son ; on account of his having been 
made the honored instrument of his conversion: 1 Pet. v. 13. 
P>ut whether that is the same as the one spoken of by Paul, and, 
if not, which of the two wrote this book the Scriptures do not 
inform us. 

He begins with the preaching of John the Baptist ; and though 
much of what he has written is a repetition of what we have in 
Matthew, he relates many remarkable circumstances omitted by 
that Evangelist; such as you will find in the following passages: 
Mark i. 23-26 ; vii. 31-35 ; viii. 22-27. Mark signifies polite. 

LUXE, 

Luke is supposed to have been a native of Antiooh in Syria; 
and that his name is a contraction of Lucilius or Lucius, which 
signifies luminous: Rom, xvi. 21. Whether \w was converted to 
Christianity through Paul's instrumentality, or whether Paul first 
met with liiin at Troas, we cannol learn from \\w Scriptures, By 



342 JOHN. 

profession, he was a physician ; and his first mention of himself 
as being Paul's companion begins at Troas. He afterwards fre- 
quently speaks of himself as being a fellow-traveller with him. 
Compare the following passages : Acts xvi. ; Col. iv. 14 ; Philemon 
23 ; 2 Tim. iv. 11. Luke wrote the history of the life of Christ ; 
and is the supposed writer of the Acts of the Apostles. He has 
given in this book a circumstantial account of the birth of Christ 
— his preaching. &c. — the baptism of John — and is the only 
one who mentions the commission given by Christ to the seventy 
disciples : Chap. x. 1-20. 

JOHN. 

John the Evangelist, was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman, and 
his mother's name was Salome ; he was the brother of James, 
one of the twelve apostles. He witnessed the Saviour's retire- 
ments; and particularly his transfiguration, and agony in the 
garden : See Matt. xvii. 2 ; Mark ix. 2 ; Luke ix. 28 ; and Matt. 
xxvi. 37 ; Mark xiv. 33. He saw the Lord of life hang, bleed, 
and die, on the cross : chapter xix. 34, 35. He was one of the 
first who visited the sepulchre after our Lord's resurrection : xx. 
21. He was distinguished by that honorable appellation, "that 
disciple whom Jesus loved/' He, at the Saviour's dying request, 
took home the Virgin-Mary, and provided for her : xix. 25-27. 
For a time he accompanied Peter, preaching, working miracles, 
and enduring persecution from the Jews at Jerusalem, and at 
Samaria : See Acts iii. ; iv. ; v. In his old age, he wrote three 
epistles, one to the Jewish Christians, in general, one to a noted 
lady, and another to one Gaius. In the Isle of Patmos, he had 
various visions, and revelations, from the mouth of Jesus — 
thence, he wrote seven epistles to the seven churches of Asia. 
He is said to have lived the longest of all the apostles, and to be 
the only one who died a natural death. 

Learned men are not agreed, concerning the language in which 
the Gospel according to John was first written. In his history 
of our Eedeemer's life, he relates many things omitted by the 
other Evangelists; chiefly a number of most excellent discourses; 



EXAMPLE OF CHRIST. 343 

and gives the most undeniable proofs of the divinity of our Lord 
and Saviour Jesus Christ. 

In chapter 1. The divinity, humanity, and office of Christ. 
2. His turning water into wine. 3. His purging the temple 
of buyers and sellers. 4. His talk with the woman of Samaria. 

5. Christ cures a man that had been thirty -eight years afflicted. 

6. Feeds five thousand. 7. He reproves his kinsmen. 8. Delivers 
the woman taken in adultery. 9. Cures a man that was born 
blind. 11. He raises Lazarus from the dead. 13. Washes his 
disciples' feet. 18. He is betrayed by Judas. 19. He is scourged 
and crucified. 20. He rises again. 21. He appears to his disci- 
ples. John signifies the grace of the Lord, 

EXAMPLE OF CHRIST. 

After having attentively read the history of our adorable 
Bedeemer, as given by the four Evangelists, you will derive great 
benefit by referring to the following passages, and endeavoring 
to imitate Christ in his early piety : Luke ii. 46, 47. His willing 
subjection to his earthly parents : Luke ii. 51. His great humil- 
ity, meekness of temper, and lowliness of mind: Matt. xi. 29. 
His contentment in the poorest condition : Matt. viii. 20. His 
tender compassion towards the distressed and afflicted: Matt. 
xx. 34. His unwearied endeavors to do good to all : Acts x. 38, 
His frequent private prayer : Matt. xiv. 23; Mark i. 35; Luke ix, 
18. His great faith in prayer : John xi. 42. His thanksgiving : 
Matt. xi. 25; John xi. 41. His heart-felt grief for the sins and 
sufferings of others : Mark iii. 5. His pious zeal for the public 
worship of God: Luke iv. 16; John ii. 13-17. His condescen- 
sion, even to the meanest : Matt. xi. 19; Luke v. 29. His profit- 
able conversation when in company: Luke xiv. 7-24; xxiv. 13- 
35. His overcoming temptation: Matt. iv. 1-11. His subjec- 
tion to the government under which he lived: Matt, xvii. 27 j 
xxii. 21. His cheerful submission to the will of his heavenly 
Father: Matt. xxvi. 39; Luke xxii. 42. His constant love and 
practice of holiness : John iv. 34. His readiness to forgive all 
who injured him: Luke ix. 54-56 j xxiii. 34, His bearing with 



344 ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 

the weaknesses and infirmities of his brethren after the flesh : 
Matt. xxvi. 40-45. 

Examples more clearly point out, and more powerfully incline 
to a holy practice, than any precept possibly can do 5 they not 
only show the possibility of performance, but, by a secret force, 
urge to imitation, reproach our defects, and animate to like zeal. 
Christ alone is a perfect model, 

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 

This book is an inspired history of the doings and sufferings 
of the Apostles after the Ascension of their Divine Master : but 
principally relates to those of Peter, John, Paul, and Barnabas. 
It contains a history of the church for about thirty years after 
the death of Christ ; nor have we any other, that deserves our 
belief, for about 250 years afterward. Luke the Evangelist is 
allowed to be the writer of it ; he wrote it as a continuation of 
the history of the Saviour. 

Chapters 1 to 5, show us how completely the promise made by 
the Eedeemer, of the Holy Spirit, was fulfilled — the miraculous 
preaching of the Apostles — the success that attended it — and 
the persecutions they met with on account thereof. 6 and 7. The 
mock-trial and cruel murder of Stephen. 8. The great persecu- 
tion and dispersing of the preachers of the Gospel into Samaria 
— the baptism and base conduct of Simon the sorcerer — and the 
conversion and baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch. 9. The con- 
version of Saul on his way to Damascus. 10. The baptism of 
Cornelius and his friends. 11. The disciples of Christ are first 
called Christians. 12. The murder of James — the imprison- 
ment of Peter — and Herod's awful death. The remainder of 
the book is chiefly taken up in relating Paul's travels, labors, and 
sufferings. An acquaintance with this book will cast much light 
upon, and greatly assist you in, the reading of the following 
Epistles. 

From this book we learn that the Christian Church has grown 
through great opposition, idolatry, and persecution; notwith- 
standing the number and power of her enemies ; — and that it is 
composed of a people possessing, not only the form, but also, the 



EPISTLES — ROMANS. 345 

power of godliness ; — such as have obtained a new heart, a right 
spirit, and have been united to Christ their living head; and 
enjoy spiritual communion with him. See John xiv. ; xv. ; xvi.; 
Acts i. to v. 

EPISTLES. 

An Epistle is a letter by which one person communicates his 
mind to another at a distance. The whole of the Bible is God's 
Epistle to us ; for in it he has communicated his mind concerning 
us. There are tiventy-one of the books of the New Testament 
called Epistles; the first fourteen of which were written by 
Paul; the other seven were written, one by James, two by 
Peter, three by Johx, and one by Jude. When these epistles, 
or letters, were first written, they were not divided into chapters 
and verses as we now have them ; and therefore to get at the 
meaning of the writer of any epistle, you will have to read it over 
attentively from beginning to end ; just as you would a letter of 
great importance you had received from a friend. 

ROMANS. 

This epistle was written by Paul, from Corinth, to the Chris- 
tian church at Home, whom the Apostle had not seen ; and ap- 
pears to have been written about A.D. 56. The eleven first 
chapters are doctrinal, and the last five practical. And in order 
to understand the truths contained in the former part, we have 
only to attend to the duties of the latter part. He shows us in 
chapter 1, that the foundation of our salvation is laid, not by 
works of nature, but in justification by faith in the Lord Jesus 
Christ. 2, 3. That the works of the law can save none. \. 
That the only way to escape the curse of the law, is. by believing 
in Christ, who was made a curse for us: (Jal. iii. L3, 5. How 
we obtain peace with God. 6, 7. How we are sanctified to him. 
8. How we are glorified by him. ( .). He Bpeaka of persons saved. 

10,11. Shows thai those who are saved by Christ are believing 
Jews and Gentiles. And then follows the practical pari of his 

epistle, or letter; in which we have, chap. L2, some useful and 

wholesome exhortations impressed upon as, with motives the 



1 CORINTHIANS. 

m si : >werfuL 13. Directions for conducting ourselves as niern- 

bers of civil society. And in the last three chapters, how we 
should behave ourselves as members of the church of Christ, the 
one toward another. There is no part of the Bible which we 
ought to read, learn, inwardly digest, and become more thoroughly 
. tainted with, than this epistle. It clearly shows as, that we 
can neither be saved in whole nor in part by our own works ; and 
that salvation is in Christ Jesus alone — and by believing in Him 
we are saved from that condemnation consequent on unbelief. 
Notwithstanding, it plainly sets forth those who believe in Christ. 
as being a peculiar people, zealous of good works. 

1 CORINTHIANS. 

Corinth was a principal and wealthy city of that particular 
division of Greece called Achat . Paul preached there with very- 
great success, for about one year and a half; and in the raids: : 
great persecution from the Jews, succeeded in forming a church 
there. See Acts xviii. And there a Christian church, either 
real oi pretended, from that time has existed. It appears, that 
shortly after his departure from them, he wrote them a friend 

He which is now lost. See 1 Cor. v. 9 : 2 Cor. x. 10. 11. He 
had left them but a short time, before various disorders and 
s i-isms got in among them ; and each party contended for their 
favorite preacher. See the £:-: chapter. Inspired by God. he. 
therefore, wrote them this long letter, in which he sharply re- 
bukes them for their divisions, and vindicates his own conduct. 
In chapters 1 to 4. he directly reproves their dissensions — shows 
: the natural man is to understand spiritual things 
— that ministers are God's workmen — and on what account min- 
isters onght to be regarded 5. He directs them to put away a:: 
incestuous person from among them, and to purge out the HA 

en. 6. Not to go to law one with another before heathen 
magistrates. 7. S. Warns them against irregularities in mar- 
riages — and of giving offence in eating things offered to idols. 
9. How ministers ought to be supported. 10. How they should 

-.uct themselves at the Lord's table. 11. That women should 
pray with ft - - 12. That all should improve 



2 CORINTHIANS — GALATIANS. 347 

their gifts to the edification of others. 13. The praises of char- 
ity, or love. 14. Women are forbidden to speak in the govern- 
ment of the chnrch. 15. He most clearly proves the resurrection 
of the dead. 16. He exhorts them all not to be unmindful of 
their poor brethren — but make their collections every week for 
the relief of the poor ; and gives his love to them all. 

2 CORINTHIANS. 

In the last chapter of the former epistle (ver. 5-7) the Apos- 
tle signified his intention of shortly visiting Corinth ; but being 
providentially prevented, he, about one year afterward, wrote this 
second epistle, or letter to them. In chapter 1, after the intro- 
duction, the Apostle gives an account of his own troubles and 
God's goodness. 2. He shows the reason why he came not to 
them — and directs them to forgive and comfort the person who 
had been excommunicated for incest. 3. He proves the excel- 
lency of the New Testament above the Old — the duty of gospel- 
ministers — and the advantages of living under the gospel. 4. 
He declares his own sincerity and faithfulness in preaching the 
gospel. 5. His hope of immortal glory — and of future judg- 
ment. 6. His heart is open to them — and he expects the like 
affection from them. 7. He declares what comfort he took in 
his afflictions, since he had heard so good a report of them by 
Titus. 8. He very affectionately urges them to contribute lib- 
erally to the support of the poor. 9. He proceeds to encourage 
them to liberality. 10. He arms them against the crafty in- 
sinuations of false teachers. 11. He gives a large account of 
his labors, sufferings, and qualifications for the ministry. 12. 
He promises to come to them — and blames them for their faults. 
13. He threatens severity with obstinate offenders — and con- 
cludes the epistle with a general exhortation and prayer. 

GALATIANS. 

This is another of Paul's epistles. It is not directed to the 
church or churches of any particular city as seme others are; but 
to the churches of a whole province ; for so Qalatia was, of Lesser 
Asia. This province formerly contained twenty-i wo famous cities; 



348 EPHESIANS. 

and it seems that the gospel was first preached, and Christianity 
first planted here by the apostle Paul. See Acts xvi. 6 ; xviii. 
23. While this apostle was among therm they expressed great 
love both for him and his preaching ; but he had scarcely left the 
country, before some false teachers got in among them, and stirred 
up the people to hate both him and his doctrine ; and which was 
the occasion of his writing this epistle to them. In chapter 1, 
he sharply reproves them for so soon departing from the faith. 
2. He gives an account of an interview he had with Peter at 
Antioch. 3. He reproves them for their folly — and proves the 
truth of the doctrines from which they had departed. 4. Shows 
the happy change their conversion wrought in them. 5. De- 
scribes the struggles with flesh and sin — and the fruits of the 
flesh — and of the Spirit. 6. Concludes with some plain, practi- 
cal duties — and the true character of false teachers. The whole 
teaches us to follow Christ and beware of men. 

EPHESIANS. 

While a prisoner at Borne, the Apostle Paul wrote this epistle 
to the church at Ephesus, the chief city of Lower-Asia ; a city 
famous for its idolatry and magnificent temple dedicated to the 
goddess Diana. Chapter 1. After the salutation, he thanks God 
for the great blessings he has conferred upon them. 2. He com- 
pares their former state by nature with their present one by 
grace. 3. He desires them not to faint for his tribulation — and 
prays that they may be sensible of the great love of Christ toward 
them. And having in the former part of his epistle, or letter, 
delivered some very important doctrinal truths, he proceeds to 
give some of the most weighty exhortations to faith and practice. 
4. He exhorts them to love — unity — concord — purity — and 
holiness. 5. He shows how Christians should conduct them- 
selves — exhorts them to mutual love — charity — and to avoid 
all manner of uncleanness. 6. The duty of children to parents 
— and servants to masters — describes the complete armor of a 
Christian — and how it ought to be used. And concludes with 
his good wishes and prayers for all the brethren, 



PHILIPPIANS — COLOSSIANS — 1 THESSALONIAXS. 349 
PHILIPPIAETS. 

Philippi was a city of considerable note, of the western part 
of Macedonia; and the Apostle Paul was called in an extraordi- 
nary manner to preach there. Read Acts, chapters xvi. and xx. 
He appears to have had a particular kindness for the church he 
had been the instrument in forming there. Although he had 
been called to suffer many hard things at Philippi, and had been 
scourged and put in the stocks, that did not wean his love from 
either place or people. In chapter 1, he assures them that he 
always remembered them in his prayers. 2. He exhorts them to 
be diligent — loving — and serious — and to walk like Christians. 
3. He cautions them against false teachers — who, like surly dogs, 
would bark to annoy — and bite to destroy, the faithful profes- 
sors of Christianity. 4. He gives them many faithful admoni- 
tions — and exhortations — gratefully acknowledges their kindness 
— and concludes with praise to God. He wrote this epistle while 
a prisoner at Rome. 

COLOSSIANS. 

Colosse was formerly a large city in Phrygia ; although it is 
now laid in ruins. Read Acts xvi. ; xviii. This epistle was writ- 
ten about the same time, and in the same place, as the one to the 
Ephesians and Philippians ; while Paul was a prisoner at Rome. 
Paul did not plant, neither had he ever seen this church ; still he 
did not forget it, nor neglect it. In chapter 1, he thanks God for 
the good report he had heard of their faith — and prays that they 
might be fruitful — and gives them an excellent abridgment of 
the doctrines of Christianity. 2. He exhorts them to beware of 
philosophy and vain traditions. 3. He exhorts them, as those 
that were risen with Christ, to live above the world. 4. He 
entreats them to pray fervently — walk wisely — and concludes 
with his best wishes for them all. All who profess Christianity 
should live like Christians. 

1 TIIKSSAI.OMAXS. 

ThessalonicAj now called Salonichi, was the chief city oi^ 

Macedonia; Paul, in a very remarkable manner, was directed 



350 2 THESSALONIANS. 

there to preach the gospel. See Acts xvi. 9, 10. When this great 
teacher of the Gentiles first planted a Christian church there, 
it consisted of some converted Jews, and inaixy Gentiles, who 
embraced Christianity. See Acts xvii. 1-4. The apostle was 
greatly opposed in his good work by the unbelieving Jews, and 
the baser sort of the people 5 so much so, that, for his own safety, 
he had to leave the city in the night with Silas, who went with 
him to Berea. This is supposed to be the first epistle Paul ever 
wrote 5 although it is placed after his other epistles. In chapter 
1, he tells them how thankful he felt to God on account of their 
having embraced the gospel, and forsook their idolatry. 2. He 
appeals to them as to the faithful manner of his preaching the 
gospel among them. 3. He testifies his great love to them by 
sending Timothy to them — by rejoicing in their well-doing — by 
praying for them — and desiring a safe coming to them. 4. He 
exhorts them to live holy and justly — to love one another — and 
gives a brief description of the resurrection. 5. He gives them 
many useful exhortations to watchfulness — sobriety — faith — 
love — and hope — and charges them to read this epistle to the 
brethren ; and concludes with the usual benediction. 

2 THESSALONIANS. 

This epistle was written shortly after the first ; and, it is prob- 
able, from the same place. It appears that some of the apostle's 
expressions in the former epistle, had been misunderstood by 
some of them ; and they were led to believe that the coming of 
Christ, the end of the world, and the judgment-day, were so near, 
that to pay any regard to their temporal affairs was inconsistent 
with the anticipation of that great event. To correct so great an 
error, the apostle, no doubt, immediately wrote this second epistle, 
or letter. In chapter 1, he gives thanks to God for their faith, 
love, and union, and speaks of the coming of Christ, the punish- 
ment of the ungodly, the glorification of the saints, and prays 
that God may count them worthy of their calling — and that the 
name of Jesus might be glorified by them. 2. He exhorts them 
to stand fast in the faith, and not be alarmed at any rumors they 
might hear concerning the coming of Christ — confutes the error 



1 TIMOTHY. 351 

that he had cautioned them against, by shewing them what great 
events must take place before his coming ; such as ; a general 
apostacy, and the revelation of antichrist. He thereupon repeats 
his former exhortation, and prays for them. 3. He begs them to 
pray for him, testifies what confidence he has in them, makes 
requests to God in their behalf, shows them how to treat those 
who walk disorderly, prays that they may have increasing peace, 
and concludes with the usual benediction : " The grace of our 
Lord," &c. 

1 TIMOTHY. 

Paul's epistles have hitherto been directed to churches ; now 
we have the four following to particular individuals: two to 
Timothy, one to Titus, and one to Philemon; all three ministers 
of the gospel. 

Timothy was an Evangelist, an order which appears to be infe- 
rior to the apostles : Eph. iv. 11 ; though, it is evident, their com- 
mission and work were much the same with that of the apostles ; 
preaching, baptizing, planting, and watering the Christian 
churches. It appears that Timothy's mother was a Jewess, and 
his father a Gentile ; and which will account for his not having 
been circumcised when Paul met with him ; and it is probable, 
that at this time his father was dead, and he was living with his 
mother and grandmother. Compare Acts xv. 1-3, with 2 Tim. i. 5. 
He seems to have been brought up in the fear of God, and, by 
means of the holy Scriptures, had been carefully instructed in the 
Jewish religion. Compare 2 Tim. i. 5, with 2 Tim. iii. 15. From 
the time Timothy submitted to circumcision he accompanied Paul 
in his travels, assisted him in preaching the gospel, ami establish- 
ing the churches; and was left by him to take charge of the 
church at Ephesus ; but how long he continued there is not 
certain, 

In chapter 1, Paul informs Timothy why he had left him at 

EpheSUS — what the false apostles taught instead Of the gospel 
— exhorts him to hold fast faith and a good eonseienee — and 

speaks of some who had made shipwnvk o[' faith. 2. He ex- 
horts that pravers he made for all men — shows the reasons why 



352 2 TIMOTHY — TITUS. 

— and how men should pray — and women adorn themselves. 
3. He speaks of the qualifications of bishops — of deacons — of 
their work — and how they should be proved. 4. He foretells 
apostacy from the true faith — instructs Timothy what to teach 
and what to avoid. 5. He lays down rules for reproving — di- 
rections concerning widows — and elders — and a precept for 
Timothy's health. 6. He speaks of the gain of godliness — the 
evil of loving money — exhorts Timothy to be faithful — and 
describes the majesty of God. 

2 TIMOTHY. 

Ix this epistle, which was written by Paul while a prisoner at 
Koine, and under the constant expectation of being put to death, 
we have in chapter 1, an account of the piety of Timothy's 
grandmother, and mother — of the religious education they had 
given their son — an exhortation to Timothy — and the kindness 
shown to Paul while in prison, by Onesiphorus. 2. Timothy is 
exhorted to constancy and perseverance — to preach faithfully 
the word of truth — and to carefully avoid the doctrine of Hy- 
meneus and Philetus, who declare that the resurrection is past. 
3. He predicts dangerous times in the latter days — and com- 
mends the holy Scriptures. 4. In a most solemn manner, he 
charges Timothy to be faithful and diligent — certifies him of 
the nearness of his own death — his strong confidence of being 
forever happy — and concludes. Timothy signifies, honor of God. 

* TITUS. 

Distinguished as Titus was, it is certainly very remarkable 
that his name should not be once found in all the Acts of the 
Apostles. But that he was a Greek and brought up in heathen- 
ism, we learn from Gal. ii. 3 ; or he would have been circumcised. 
He was converted to Christianity by the ministry of Paul, (chap, 
i. 4.) who tenderly loved him : 2 Cor. ii. 13 ; and frequently men- 
tions him in the most endearing language. See 2 Cor. vii. 6, 7, 
13, 15, and viii. 16, 23. 

In chapter 1, he informs Titus why he left him in Crete — (and 
though no mention is anywhere made of Paul's ever being in 



PHILEMON — HEBREWS. 353 

Crete, it is plain he was there) — of the qualifications requisite 
for those who bear rule in the church of Christ — the character 
of the Cretians — of pure and impure professors. 2. Directions 
are given to the aged — the young — to Titus — to servants — 
and what the gospel teaches. 3. He shows the necessity of obe- 
dience — the wretched condition of men without Christ — the 
great change which the grace of God makes in all who possess it 

— the indispensable duty of believers to live holy lives — how to 
deal with heretics — requests Titus to meet him at Nicopolis 

— and gives some concluding directions and salutations. Titus 
signifies, honorable. 

PHILEMON. 

Philemon, who was a resident, if not a native of Colosse, ap- 
pears to have become a convert to Christianity by Paul's minis- 
try. The design of this epistle was to reconcile Philemon to his 
slave Onesimus; who, having run from him, had fled to Eome, 
where he became converted to Christianity by means of Paul's 
preaching. In verses 1 to 3, he salutes Philemon and the church 
who met in his house. 4 to 7. He extols his love — faith — and 
Christian charity. 8 to 14. He pleads forgiveness for Onesimus, 
his offending servant, in a very affecting and earnest manner. 
15 to 17. Engages himself to repair any wrong that his servant 
might have done him. 20, 21. He expresses the strongest confi- 
dence that his master will forgive him. 22. He directs Philemon 
to prepare a lodging for him, as he expected shortly to be with 
him. 23 to 25. With salutations and benedictions concludes. 
What a pattern doth this epistle exhibit to both masters and 
servants! Philemon signifies, that kisses; — and Onesimus, prof- 
itable. 

BEBREWS. 

It is not certain, neither are we concerned to knew, who was 
the writer of this epistle, though it is generally assigned to the 
apostle Paul. Whoever the writer may be, it is very clear the 
scope and design of it. was to inform the minds, and confirm the 
judgments of the Hebrews, in the excellence of the gospel above 

the law, to which they were BO Strongly attached; and to per- 



354 JAMES. 

suade them to strictly adhere to. and persevere in. the Christian 
faith. It contains all the doctrines of the gospel: its beanties 
are many, its excellences great, and its matter instructive. 

In chapter 1. he speaks of the different discoveries that God 
had made to the fathers by the prophets — the coming of Christ 

— and his being preferred above the angels. 2. He describes 
the nature of Christ — and the end for which he assumed that 
nature. 3. He shovrs that Jesus Christ is more worthy than 
Moses — and cautions them against unbelief. 4. He shows that 
the rest of Christians can be attained only by faith — that Jesus 
Christ is our high-priest — through whom we have access to God. 
5. The nature of the high-priesthood — his qualifications — order 

— and pre-eminence. 6. He exhorts to diligence — and patience. 
7. He speaks of the greatness of Melchisedec. after whose order 
Christ is a High-Priest forever. S. He shows how superior the 
new Covenant is to that of the old — and that by the former 
the latter is abolished. 9. The inferiority of the sacrifices of the 
law to the dignity and perfection of the sacrifice of Christ. 10. 
He shows the weakness of the law-sacrifices — sacrifice of Christ's 

• once offered hath forever taken away sin. 11. He gives 
divers admonitions — to charity — to honest life — to avoid cov- 
etousness — to submit to. and regard God's preachers — to guard 
against strange doctrines — to confess Christ — give alms — prays 
for them — and concludes. This certainly looks like Paul's writ- 
ing. Paul signifies, a worker; and Saul, his former name, a 
destroyer. 

JAMES. 

This apostle is called James the less. Mark xv. 10. to distin- 
guish him from the other James who was killed : Acts xii. 2. 
He is called the L : i i's brother : Gal. i. 19 ; but why. the learned 
are not agreed. It is certain that he was an apostle, and that he 
was the son of Alpheus : Matt. x. 3. Abraham was uncle to Lot ; 
and he calls him his brother : Gen. xii. 5 : xiii. S. He was sur- 
named the J >:. ;:: account of the admirable holiness of his life; 
whether he. or some one else, wrote this epistle, we are but 
little concerned to know ; since there can be no doubt of its being 



1 PETER. 355 

divinely inspired, and written for our instruction. It is called 
general, or catholic, on account of its being written to no particu- 
lar nation, city, or church ; but to Christians everywhere. It 
begins without any apostolic salutation ; the name of our blessed 
Lord is mentioned but twice in it ; and it ends without any apos- 
tolic benediction. 

In chapter 1, the apostle addresses the twelve tribes which 
were scattered abroad — shows that they should rejoice under, 
and receive comfort from the cross — exhorts them to ask wisdom 
of God without a doubting mind — and declares that, to hear the 
word of God without doing it, will be of no avail. 2. He shows 
that partiality is inconsistent with Christianity — that God has 
chosen the poor — that we should be loving and merciful — and 
never boast of faith without good works. 3. He cautions all 
against a haughty conduct — and an unbridled tongue — and con- 
trasts the nature and effects of earthly and heavenly wisdom. 
4. He shows the origin of wars and contentions — that the 
friendship of the world is enmity with God — that God resists 
the proud — that men should submit and pray to him — humble 
themselves — and not speak evil one of another — the sin of 
knowing the will of God and not doing it. 5. That wicked rich 
men are in danger of the judgments of God — the followers of 
God should be patient under oppression and afflictions, and take 
encouragement from the example of the prophets and Job — 
strongly forbids s wearing — encourages all to pray for each other 
— and to restore a straying brother. James signifies, the heel. 

1 PETEB. 

Tins apostle was a native of Bethsaida, was the son of Jonas, 
and brothel of Andrew, the apostle. His original name was 
Simon, but the Saviour called him Cephas, or, as it is interpreted, 
Peter; both words signifying a stone, or rook. There is no 
Scriptural evidence of his ever being at Ji<>me; neither is there 
any to the contrary. He wrote to all Christians, whether eon- 
verted Jews or Gentiles, who lived in those Countries named; 
and on which aeeoiint his epistles are called general eatholie, or 
universal. 



356 2 PETER — 1 JOHN. 

In chapter 1, he thanks God for the grace by which they have 
been preserved faithful in their trials — and exhorts them to 
holiness and brotherly love as the children of God. 2. He dis^ 
suades them from the breach of charity — declares the character 
of believers, as the children of God — beseeches all such to 
glorify God — to practise the various duties of life — and be 
patient under persecution, after the example of Christ. 3. He 
teaches the duties of wives and husbands to each other — how 
to see good days and many of them — and always to give a reason 
of the hope that is in us. 4. He exhorts to conformity to Christ 
— to be sober — charitable — and watchful. 5. He exhorts the 
elders to feed their flocks — the younger to be obedient — and 
all to be sober — watchful — and diligent in the faith. Saluta- 
tions are given from the church : and the benediction. 

2 PETER. 

This second epistle of Peter is supposed to have been written 
about a year after the former one ; it is directed to the same 
persons, and, it is supposed, from Eome, which he calls Babylon : 
See 1 Pet. v. 13. 

In chapter 1, he exhorts them, by faith and good works, to 
make their calling and election sure — gives intimations of his 
speedy dissolution — and the desire he has that those churches 
might be established in the true faith of the gospel. 2. He 
foretells the coming of false teachers — the judgments that await 
those false teachers — and gives their character. 3. He warns 
believers against scoffers and impostors — and concludes by 
warning them against seducers — and exhorting them to grow 
in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 

1 JOHN. 

Although this epistle has not the name of John either pre- 
fixed or subscribed to it, it has, from the earliest ages of Chris- 
tianity, been attributed to him. 

In chapter 1, he describes the person of Christ — and the end 
for which he bears this testimony — shows that those who have 
fellowship with God walk in the light — and are cleansed from 



2 JOHN — 3 JOHN. 357 

unrighteousness. 2. He warns believers against all sin — and 
shows that a knowledge of, and union with Christ, must be 
shown by our obedience to him — and cautions them against the 
love of the world — and seducers. 3. He expresses his great 
admiration of the love of God in the adoption of sinners — shows 
how the children of God are distinguished from the children of 
the devil. 4. He warns against false, seducing teachers — tells 
how to distinguish between the true and false prophets — and 
exhorts to brotherly-love. 5. He shows that they who love God 
love his children also — the willingness of God to hear and 
answer prayer — and concludes by strongly marking the differ- 
ence between those who are born of God, and the world that 
lieth in wickedness — and exhorting us to keep from idolatry. 

2 JOHN. 

That the apostle John, who wrote the former epistle, is the 
writer of this also, all are agreed ; but as it regards the person 
to whom it was sent, there exists a difference of opinion. Some 
think it was a church to whom he directed it, under the title of 
" The Elect Lady:" while others suppose, what is more probable, 
that he wrote it to a religious matron, for the purpose of com- 
forting and establishing, both her and her family, in the doctrines 
of Christianity. This epistle is divided into thirteen verses; 
and from 1 to 3, contains the apostle's address to a Christian 
lady and her children. 4 to 6. He rejoices to find that they are 
walking in the truth — and exhorts them to continue to love one 
another. 7, 8. He cautions them against deceivers — and exhorts 
them to watchfulness. 9. Shows the necessity of abiding in 
Christ. 10,11. He cautions them against those who brought 
no1 the true doctrine. 12. Excuses himself from writing. L3. 

Her sister's children desire to be remembered to her. 

3 JO I IV. 

Tins epistle was written by the same apostle as the two 
former; and was addressed l.y JOHW to u the welldudoved (laius." 
There are several persons mentioned, of the name of QaiUBy in 

the New Testament: see A.cts six, . I; Rom. \\i. 23j 



358 JUDE. 

1 Cor. i. 14. And whether the Gaius mentioned here is one 
of those referred to is not certain ; neither is it important for us 
to know. 

In verses 1, 2, the apostle expresses his good wishes for the 
prosperity of Gaius. 3 to 8. He commends him for his piety and 
hospitality to true preachers. 9. He complains of the unkind- 
ness and ambitious conduct of Diotrephes. 10. Of his not receiv- 
ing the brethren himself and preventing those that would. 11. 
Exhorts Gaius not to follow his example, but that which is good. 

12. He gives a special testimony to the good report of Demetrius. 

13. He excuses himself from writing a more lengthy letter, as he 
proposes shortly to visit him. 14. He concludes with salutations 
from some friend who desired to be remembered to him. A dis- 
tant friend is better than a near foe. 



JUDE. 

Judas, or Jude, the writer of this epistle, who is also called 
Lebbeus Thaddeus, was the son of Alpheus, and brother of James 
the Less ; and an apostle of the Lord. See Matt. x. 3, and John 
xiv. 22. The design of it evidently was, to guard believers against 
the principles and practices of the false teachers, who, at so early 
an age of the church, had arisen in the world. 

In verses 1, 2, we have the writer's address and benediction. 
3, 4. He states the reasons which induced him to write this epis- 
tle — and exhorts them to a vigorous and holy contention for the 
faith once delivered to th& saints. 5 to 8. He reminds them 
of some awful instances of divine vengeance on sinners. 9. In- 
forms them of the dispute about the body of Moses. 10, 11. 
He particularly describes the false teachers. 12, 13. Eepresents 
them as impure, unsteady, fierce, and without shame. 14 to 19. 
He gives a further description of those corrupters of doctrine and 
morals. 20, 21. Exhorts believers to keep in the love of God. 
22, 23. Directs them how to pity and restore those who are in 
danger. 24, 25. He concludes with a doxology to God. Judas, 
or Jude, signifies, the praise of the Lord. 



REVELATION. 359 

Any immediate discovery of the mind of God to man is called 
a revelation. See Gal. i. 12 ; 1 Cor. xiv. 6, 26. But this, the last 
book of the Scriptures, is particularly so called ; on account of its 
chiefly consisting of a multitude of revelations relative to God's 
will and purpose toward the church. And many of its predictions 
being yet unfulfilled necessarily causes some difficulty in under- 
standing this book. It was revealed to Joi-ix, while living in 
banishment on the barren Isle of Patmos ; and appears to have 
been written by him at nearly the close of his life. He foretells 
events relative to the church of Christ, from that period to the 
end of time. 

In reading this book, those who are ambitious and greedy of 
knowledge, will find themselves greatly mortified ; for there are 
many parts too deep for a giant to ford, while there are shallows 
that a child may wade. Some, who are timorous, object to the 
study of this book, on account of the presumptuous having failed 
in their interpretations of some difficult parts. But that should 
not deter us from looking diligently into those prophecies. Let 
us imitate the pious Israelites, while we read this book; they 
looked carefully into the darkest prophecies of the Old Testament, 
and patiently waited for the consolation of Israel. If we imitate 
them, we shall find that those parts we cannot walk through, we 
may swim in ; and afterwards do as Paul did, sit down on the 
brink and admire the depth: Bom. xi. 3. In this book of revela- 
tions, God has, in a most striking manner, given displays of him- 
self — heaven — heavenly things — the kingdom of his Provi- 
dence and Grace — the glory of the Redeemer — the character 

and happiness of his people — the wickedness and dest ruction of 

his enemies — the resurrection of the dead — the last judgment 

— who shall enter eternal happiness, and who shall be excluded 

— and in a most awful manner threatens those who shall alter, 
add to, or take From any part of this prophecy — and the apostol- 
ical benediction concludes the whole* 

The Old Testament (doses with a curse; and the New Testa- 
ment ends with a blessing. u The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ 
be with you all. Amen" S<> prays the A.uthob. 



360 CHARACTER OF THE FIRST CHRISTIANS. 

My Young Reader. I have now gone through all the books 
of the sacred Scriptures, and have brought into a few pages a 
summary of the whole; and which, I hope, will greatly assist 
you in forming a more intimate acquaintance with that best of 
all books. But seeing it is not enough that we know the Bible, 
but should live the Bible, let us turn our attention to it again, 
and see how Christians used to live. It must be acknowledged 
that the first ages of the Church of Christ were the purest ; and 
if we are desirous to know how we should perform our duty, we 
have only to give up our preconceived opinions, and turn to the 
New Testament, where we shall find a model for our lives. 

The first Christians were deeply impressed with a sense of 
their guilt and danger at the time of their conversion : Acts ii. 
37; ix. 6; xvi. 29, 30. They evinced a change of heart by a 
change of life : 1 Cor. vi. 11 ; Eph. ii. 5, 6. They had faith in 
Christ Jesus : Col. i. 3, 4 ; 2 Thess. i. 3. They walked in the 
fear of God: Acts ix. 31. They had peace with God : Rom. v. 1. 
The love of God was shed abroad in their hearts : Rom. v. 5. 
They had joy in God : Rom, v. 11. His Spirit bore witness with 
theirs that they were his children : Rom. viii. 16. They praised 
God, or spoke well of him to others : Acts ii. 47 ; Eph. v. 19. 
Sin had no dominion over them : Rom. vi. 14, 15. They were 
freed from sin and served God : Rom. vi. 22. They received the 
Gospel with gladness, and were all baptized after receiving it : 
Acts ii. 41 ; xviii. 8. They searched the Scriptures daily, to see 
whether what their ministers told them agreed with the word of 
God : Acts xvii. 11. They frequently met to break bread ; or 
partake of the Lord's Supper : Acts ii. 46 ; xx. 7-11 ; 1 Cor. xi. 
26. They regularly attended public worship : Acts iii. 1 ; xx. 7. 
They attended to private devotion : Acts ii. 42 ; x. 9. They met 
for social prayer: Acts xii. 12; xvi. 25. They not only wor- 
shipped God in the day, but late at night : Acts xx. 7. They 
prayed, not only for their friends, but for their foes also : Acts 
vii. 60. They highly esteemed their ministers, and prayed for 
them : Acts xx. 37, 38 ; xii. 5. They took care of their ministers : 
Phil. ii. 25 ; iv. 10-19 ; and their ministers, in return, took good 
care of them: 2 Cor. vi. 11. Their love extended to all the 






CHARACTER OF THE FIRST CHRISTIANS. 361 

brethren: Eph. i. 15 ; 1 Thess. iv. 9, 10; Heb. xiii. 1; 1 Pet. i. 
12, 22. Their charity abounded to all who were in want : Acts 
xi. 29, 30; Eom. xv. 26; 1 Cor. xvi. 1-3; 2 Cor. viii. 2, 3; 2 
Thess. i. 3 ; Philemon 7 ; 3 John 6. Great unanimity and union 
prevailed amongst them : Acts iv. 32. They were diligent in 
spreading the religion of Jesus : Acts viii. 35-40. They were 
liberal to the utmost of their ability: Acts ii. 44, 45; iv. 34. 
They separated themselves from the wicked: 1 Cor. v. 11; 2 
Thess. iii. 6-14. They were humble from a sense of their own 
unworthiness : 1 Cor. xv. 9 ; Eph. iii. 8 ; 1 Tim. i. 13-16. They 
walked not after the flesh, but after the Spirit : Kom. viii. 1. 
They were sober in all their deportment : 1 Peter iv. 4. They 
were patient, yea, joyful, in affliction: Acts xiii. 50-52; Eom. 
v. 3; 2 Thess. i. 4; Heb. x. 34. They cheerfully endured the 
greatest suffering for Christ's sake : Acts v. 40 ; vii. 58 ; viii. 1 ; 
xii. 2 ; xiii. 50 ; xiv. 22 ; xvi. 23 ; 2 Thess. i. 4. They knew that 
whatever befell them was all for their good : Eom. viii. 28. They 
willingly parted with all things for Christ : Phil. iii. 7, 8. They 
ever acknowledged themselves debtors to the grace of God for all 
they possessed : 1 Cor. xv. 10. They chose rather to hearken 
unto God than unto man, regardless of all consequences : Acts 
iv. 19. They were willing to die in the cause of their Redeemer, 
rather than shrink from their duty : Acts xx. 23, 24 ; 2 Tim. iv. 
6-8. They knew, that, let them die when, where, or how they 
might, heaven to them was secure : 2 Cor. v. 1 ; Phil. i. 21. 

For the want of room, I have only been able to give you an 
outline of this lovely picture ; but hope you will be enabled to 
iill it up yourself. Remember, that your relation to the body of 
Christ stamps upon you a sacred character, and produces a great 
responsibility: 1 Cor. xi. ;>; Rom. xii. 4, 5. "Walk worthy of 
the vocation wherewith ye are called:" Eph, iv. 1. "Let no 
corrupt- Communication proceed out of your mouth, but that 
which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace 
onto the hearers: n Eph. iv. 1 >( .). "Let all bitterness, and wrath, 
and anger, and clamor, and evil-speaking, be put away from you, 
With all malice:" Eph, iv. 31. And resolve, through grace, to 
follow those " who through faith and patience inherit the prom- 



362 



THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST. 



ises : " Heb. vi. 12. Those Christians are the best who resemble 
Christ the most. 

THE MIRACLES OF CHRIST. 

Prom the New Testament writers it appears evident, that but 
a very small number of the miracles of Christ are recorded. A 
miracle is an astonishing effect, either superior or contrary to 
the laws of nature. We must allow that the laws of nature are 
all very good; but to pretend that they are so fixed, that no 
miracle can be wrought, would be to bind the Almighty down to 
second causes. And not to give credit to miracles, because they 
are contrary to nature and the common observation of mankind, 
is stupid beyond degree. For if miracles were not contrary to 
common observation, or could be produced by natural causes, 
they would be no miracles at all. God has done much — but 
when He works a miracle He does a little more. 



The centurion's servant healed, 

The tempest stilled, 

Two demoniacs of Gadara cured, 

A man sick of the palsy cured, 

Jairus's daughter raised, 

Two blind men restored to sight, 

A dumb demoniac cured, 

A man with a withered hand cured, 

A blind and dumb demoniac cured, 

Five thousand fed, 

Christ walks on the sea, 

Canaanitish woman's daughter cured, 

Four thousand fed, 

A lunatic possessed of a devil cured, 

Procures tribute money from a fish, 

Two blind men restored to sight, 

The fig-tree blasted, 

A demoniac cured, 

Peter's mother-in-law healed, 

A leper healed, 

A man both deaf and dumb cured, 

A blind man restored to sight, 

Great draught of fishes, 



Matt. viii. 5-13. 

Matt. viii. 23-27. 

Matt. viii. 28-34. 

Matt. ix. 1-8. 

Matt. ix. 18-26. 

Matt. ix. 27-31. 

Matt. ix. 32, 33. 

Matt. xii. 9-13. 

Matt. xii. 22, 23. 

Matt. xiv. 15-21. 

Matt. xiv. 22-33. 

Matt. xv. 21-28. 

Matt. xv. 32-39. 

Matt. xvii. 14-21. 

Matt. xvii. 24-27. 

Matt. xx. 29-34. 

Matt. xxi. 18-21. 

Mark i. 23-28. 

Mark i. 29-31. 

Mark i. 40-45. 

Mark vii. 31-37. 

Mark viii. 22-26. 

Luke v. 1-11. 



THE PARABLES OF CHRIST. 363 

Widow's son raised from the dead, Luke vii. 11-17. 

A woman with an issue healed, Luke viii. 43-48. 

A crooked woman cured, Luke xiii. 10-17. 

A man cured of the dropsy, Luke xiv. 1-6. 

Ten lepers cleansed, Luke xvii. 11-19. 

Malchus's ear healed, Luke xxii. 50, 51. 

Water turned into wine, John ii. 1-14. 

A nobleman's son cured, John iv. 46-54. 

A cripple at Bethesda cured, John v. 1-9. 

A man born blind restored to sight, John ix. " 

Lazarus raised to life, John xi. " 

Surprising draught of fishes, John xxi. 1-14. 

THE PARABLES OF CHRIST. 

Parables are figures used to represent truths. Our Lord, in 
his parables, has taken similitudes from natural things to repre- 
sent spiritual things. It was anciently common for philosophers 
to utter their sentiments in parables. And that the prophets 
made use of parables is very evident from the following passages : 
Judges ix. 7 ; 2 Sam. xii. 1 ; xiv. 1 ; 1 Kings xx. 39 ; 2 Kings 
xiv. 9; Isa. v. 1, &c. The mode of instruction by parables was 
very common in our Saviour's time; and He carried it to the 
height of excellency and usefulness. In order to understand a 
parable, observe, 1st. It is not necessary that the representation 
be strictly true; nor that all the actions spoken of be strictly 
just; because the design of the parable is not to inform concern- 
ing these, but some important truth. 2d. We must carefully 
gather the scope of the parable from what has preceded or im- 
mediately follows it. 3d. Several circumstances may be added 
in a parable for the sake of decorum, thai cannot be illustrated 
in the explication of it; we must, therefore, chiefly attend to 
the design of the parable itself. We have 4 the following recorded. 

The sower, Matt. xiii. 1-23, 

The laics among the wheal, Matt. xiii. 24-30. 

The grain of mustard sued. Matt. xiii. 31, 32. 

The leaven in the meal, Matt. xiii. 33. 

The hidden treasure, Matt, xiii. 1 1. 

The pearl of great price, Matt. xiii. 45, !<;. 



364 



REMARKABLE DISCOURSES OF CHRIST. 



The net cast into the sea, 

The unmerciful servant, 

The laborers in the vineyard, 

The two sons, 

The wicked husbandmen, 

The marriage-feast, 

The man without a wedding garment, 

The ten virgins, 

The talents, 

The sheep and goats, 

The seed growing secretly, 

The two debtors, 

The good Samaritan, 

The rich fool, 

The servants who waited for their Lord, 

The barren fig-tree, 

The lost sheep, 

The lost piece of money, 

The prodigal son, 

The unjust steward, 

The rich man and Lazarus, 

The importunate widow, 

The Pharisee and Publican, 

The pounds delivered for trading, 



Matt. xiii. 47-50. 

Matt, xviii. 21-35. 

Matt. xx. 1-16. 

Matt. xxi. 28-32. 

Matt. xxi. 33-46. 

Matt. xxii. 1-10. 

Matt. xxii. 11-13. 

Matt. xxv. 1-13. 

Matt. xxv. 14-30. 

Matt. xxv. 31-46. 

Mark iv. 26-29. 

Luke vii. 36-50. 

Luke x. 25-37. 

Luke xii. 13-21. 

Luke xii. 35-48. 

Luke xiii. 6-9. 

Luke xv. 3-7. 

Luke xv. 8-10. 

Luke xv. 11-32. 

Luke xvi. 1-12. 

Luke xvi. 19-31. 

Luke xviii. 1-8. 

Luke xviii. 9-14. 

Luke xix. 11-27. 



REMARKABLE DISCOURSES OF CHRIST. 

There can be no doubt but an incredible number of volumes 
must have been written, had all Christ's discourses been recorded. 
But Infinite Wisdom saw, that such a vast number of Holy Writ- 
ings would have allowed us no time for reading anything else ; 
nor even meditating upon what we did read, or had expounded 
unto us ; hence God has seen fit to leave us no more than what 
we are capable of improving. The following are some of the 
most remarkable discourses delivered by our blessed Lord and 
Saviour. 



Sermon upon the Mount, 
Ordination charge to the apostles, 
Woes against Chorazin, &c. 
Discourse on the breach of the Sabbath, 



Matt. v. vi. vii. 

Matt. x. 

Matt. xi. 20-24. 

Matt. xii. 1-8. 



PROPHECIES WITH THEIR FULFILMENT. 



365 



Refutation of the false charge, 
Discourse on internal purity, 
Against giving offence, 
Directions how to obtain heaven, 
Discourse on his own sufferings, 
Woes against the Pharisees, &c. 
Predictions concerning Jerusalem, 
Discourse on the way to Gethsemane, 
Discourse with his disciples, 
In the synagogue of Nazareth, 
Woes against the Pharisees, &c. 
Discourse on humility and prudence, 
Conversation with Mcodemus, 
With the woman of Samaria, 
Discourse concerning the impotent man, 
" on the bread of life, 
" at the feast of tabernacles, 
" on occasion of the adulteress, 
" concerning the sheep, 
" of consolation, 



Matt. xii. 22-37. 

Matt. xv. 1-26. 

Matt, xviii. 

Matt. xix. 16-30. 

Matt. xx. 17-19. 

Matt, xxiii. 

Matt. xxiv. 

Matt. xxvi. 31-36. 

Matt, xxviii. 16-20. 

Luke iv. 16-32. 

Luke xi. 37-54. 

Luke xiv. 7-14. 

John iii. 1-21. 

John iv. 1-42. 

John v. 

John vi. 

John vii. 

John viii. 1-11. 

John x. 

John xiv. 



PROPHECIES WITH THEIR FULFILMENT. 

Prophecies are predictions of future events. The prophecies 
concerning Christ became more clear and minute, as their accom- 
plishment drew near. The whole chain of prophecy, extending 
from Eden's garden to Calvary's cross, which was first given to 
the Jews, and is still retained by them, when compared with its 
accomplishment, most strikingly proves the reality of the Chris- 
tian religion; and is well calculated to fill the mind with the 
most exalted views of the Redeemer. The following list of pbe- 
dictions with their FULFILMENT, will, I hope, greatly assist the 
young reader in his search alter Divine truth, which alone can 
make him truly wise; and by which we must all stand or fall. 
In addition to the above remarks, I would also state, that, in 
order to understand the prophetic language of the Bible, there 

ought to he an acquaintance with the Soriptures in general — the 

events of Providence — the plan of salvation — and particularly 

with the symbolical language of the prophecies — especially the 

names given to Christ, antichrist, the church, nations, && &C, 



306 



PROPHECIES WITH THEIR FULFILMENT. 



PREDICTIONS. 

Gen. iii. 15. 
Gen. xviii. IS 
Gen. xlix. 10. 

Exod. xii. 46. 

Numb. xxiv. 17. 

Dent, xviii. 15, IS. 

Job xix. 25, 26. 

Ps. xl. 6-8. 

Ps. xli. 9. 

Ps. lxxxix. 19. 

Ps. cxviii. 25, 26. 

Ps. cxviii. 22. 

Ps. ii. 1. 

Ps. xxii : lxix. 

Ps. xvi. 10. 

Ps. lxviii. 17, 18. 

Ps. ex. 1-4. 

Ps. ii. 6-8. 

Ps. xcvii. 7, 8 

Isa. vi. 9. 

Isa. vii. 14. 

Isa. ix. 1. 2. 

Isa. xi. 10 : ix. 6. 7 

Isa. xi. 1. 2. 

Isa. Ixi. 1-3. 

Isa. xl. 3. 

Isa. xxxv. 3-6. 

Isa. liii. 

Isa. Ix. 2. 3. 

Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. 

Ezek. xxxiii. 23. 24 

Hos. xi. 1. 
Dan. vii. 13, 14. 
Dan. ix. 24, 26. 
Dan. ix. 27. 
Micah v. 2. 
Haggai ii. 6, 7, 9. 
Zech. vi. 12. 
Zech. ix. 9. 



Matt. xxii. 42, 44; 
Acts xiii. 33 : 



FULFILMENT. 

Gal. iv. 4 : 1 John iii. 8. 

xxii. IS. Gal. iii. 8, 16 : Matt. i. 1. 

John x. 36 : xvii. 18, 21. 23. 

John xix. 33-36. 

Rev. xxii. 16. 

Acts vii. 37. 

1 Cor. xv. 22-26 : 1 Thess. iv. 16. 17. 

Heb. x. 5-30. 

Matt. xxvi. 47. 

Col. i. 14, 15: Rev. xix. 16. 

Matt. xxi. 9. 

Matt. xxi. 42 : Epk ii. 20 : 1 Pet. ii. 7. 

Acts iv. 26. 27. 

Matt, xxvii. 35, 46. 45 : John xix. 23, 24. 

Acts ii. 31 : xiii. 33. 35 : 1 Cor. xv. 54. 

Eph. iv. 5 : Col. ii. 15. 

Acts ii. 33 : Heb. v. 6. 

Heb. v. 4: Rev. ii. 27. 

cii. 25-27. Heb. i. 6, 10-12. 

Matt. xiii. 13. 

Matt. i. 20-23. 

Matt. iv. 14-16. 

3. 7 : viii. 14. Rom. ix. 33 : 1 Pet. ii. 8. 

John iii. 3. 4 : Col. ii. 3 : John i. 32. 

Luke iv. 15-21. 

Matt. iii. 1-3: 1 Tim. iii. 16. 

Matt. xi. 2-6. 

Matt, xxvi : xxvii. 

Matt, xxviii. 19 : Rev. xxi. 21, 24. 

Luke i. 32, 33. 

xxxvii. 21-24. John x. 1, 16 : John i. 49 : 

xix. 19, 21. 

Matt. ii. 19-21. 

Matt. xxiv. 30: xxvi. 64: xxviii. 18. 

John i. 41 : Heb. ix. 26. 

Matt. xxiv. 15. 

Matt. ii. 1, 6 : Lnke ii. 4-7. 

Luke ii. 10. 11, 27: Heb. xii. 26. 

Luke i. 78, 79. 

Matt. xxi. 5; John xii. 15. 



FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 367 

Zech. xi. 12, 13. Matt. xxvi. 15. 

• Zech. xiii. 7. Matt. xxvi. 46, 47. 

Zech. xii. 10. John xix. 34-37 : Acts ii. 23. 

Mai. iii. 1. Matt. iii. 1-3 : xi. 10. 

Joel ii. 28-32. Acts ii. 16-21. 

FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 

The Bible abounds with figures drawn from nature ; such as 
light ; darkness, sun, moon, stars, earth, mountains, trees, water, 
&c. — from the persons and actions of men, as Adam, Moses, 
David, Elijah, &c. — and from the history of the church, &c. The 
Bible itself is the best guide to the interpretation of its own 
figures : — as the Epistle to the Hebrews to the ceremonial law. 
The discourses of our Saviour are highly figurative ; and in con- 
sequence of their true meaning having been mistook, and a literal 
application given to those places which are only intended figura- 
tively, the most absurd notions have been published for divinely- 
taught doctrines. A few examples will be sufficient to show you 
that all the expressions of our Lord are not to be literally under- 
stood. For instance : 

The Eedeemer, when speaking to the Jews, said, "I am the 
living bread which came down from heaven ; if any man eat of 
this bread he shall live forever ; and the bread that I will give 
is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world : ,? John vi. 
51. The Jews, understanding his words literally, said, "How can 
this man give us his flesh to eat ? " not considering that he alluded 
to the sacrifice he was about to make in the offering of himself 
for the sins of the world : 1 John ii. 2. In the institution of 
the Lord's Supper, he said of the bread, " This is my body ;" and 
of the wine, " This is my blood:" Matt. xxvi. 26-29. And upon 
these words some have put such a forced construction, as to teach 
that the bread and the wine are, by saying a few words over them, 
converted, or changed, into the recti human flesh and blood of the 
Saviour, just as it was born of the Virgin Mary ! When, it is 
plain, the Saviour intended that the bbkad represented his body, 
and the wine, his blood; and that by breaking and eating the 
one, and pouring out and drinking the other, he required all his 



368 FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 

followers to keep up a perpetual remembrance of his death, til] 
he came again : 1 Cor. xi. 23-27. Christ calls himself the door 
John x. 7-10, the vine, John xv. 1, and the shepherd, Johix 
x. 11 5 and we are very well assured, that, literally, he was neither 
the one nor the other. You will find the following to be the 
most remarkable figures of speech in the Bible ; and by making 
yourself acquainted with them, you will find a key to unlock an 
invaluable treasure. 

A Metaphor is a word applied to some use to which, in its 
literal meaning, it could not be put : but is founded on the simili- 
tude one object bears to another : such as, For the sword to devour 
flesh: Deut. xxxii. 42. To be born again: John iii. 3, 7. To 
bridle the tongue : James i. 26. 

An Allegory is a metaphor continued : as the Saviour's dis- 
course concerning the eating of his own flesh : John vi. 35-65. 

A Parable is a similitude ; and illustrates something we do 
not know, by a statement of something we are familiar with ; and 
is used to impress it more deeply on the mind : as, the Lost sheep, 
the Prodigal son, &c. : Luke xv. 

A Proverb is a short energetic sentence, containing great mean- 
ing in a few words ; and a wise man will understand them. The 
requisites of a proverb are elegance and brevity : Prov. i. 1-6 ; 
x. 15 ; Luke iv. 23. 

A Metoxymy is a figure of speech in which one word is put 
for another : as, " They have Moses and the prophets : " meaning 
their writings and not their persons : Luke xvi. 29. 

A Prosopceia, or personification, is a figure by which things 
are spoken of as persons: as, "Mercy and truth are met together; 
righteousness and peace have kissed each other : Ps. lxxxv. 10. 

A Synecdoche is a figure by which the whole is put for a part 
of anything, or a part for the whole ; as, " All the world should be 
taxed;" when no more is meant than the Koman empire : Luke 
ii. 1. " And we were in all in the ship two hundred threescore 
and sixteen souls;" when persons, bodies and souls, are intended. 

Iroxy is a figurative form of speech, in which the meaning is 
contrary to what is spoken; and though there are not many 
examples of the kind in the Bible, there are some few : such as 



SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 369 

Elijah's address to the prophets of Baal : 1 Kings xviii. 27 ; and 
Job's remark to his friends : Job xii. 2. Though a different 
thing is meant from what is spoken, irony may readily be under- 
stood. If a father should say to his son who had disobeyed him, 
" You are a good lad I" — the son would well understand his 
father to mean, that lie was a bad lad. 

A Hyperbole is a figure by which anything is represented 
as being much greater, or smaller, than what it really is ; and 
examples of which you will find recorded in the following pas- 
sages ; Numb. xiii. 33 ; Deut. i. 28 ; John xxi. 25. 

SYMBOLICAL LAXGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 

A Symbol is an abridgment, comprehending in its figure a rep- 
resentation of something else. And a knowledge of the symboli- 
cal language of the Bible is of great importance, in order to our 
understanding, and profiting by what we read. And that }~on 
might the more readily find those words, the sense of which you 
may be desirous to know, you have the following index, alpha- 
betically arranged, with what is generally believed the true 
meaning of each word ; and also the chapter and verse where it 
is recorded. 

Abaddon, in Hebrew, is the same as Apollyon in Greek ; and 
is a name given to the angel of the bottomless pit : Eev. ix. 11. 

Abomination; a thing very hateful ; as, (1.) That which men 
abhor: Gen. xliii. 32; Prov. xxix. 27. (2.) Sin in general: Isa. 
lxvi. 3; Ezek. xvi. 50, 51. (3.) An idol: 2 Kings xxiii. 13; Isa. 
xliv. 19. (4.) An idolater: Isa. xli. 24. (5.) Wicked doctrines and 
practices: Rev. xvii. 4. (6.) The Roman army with their idola- 
trous ensigns, that destroyed the temple and Jewish polity: 
Matt. xxiv. 15. 

Adulteress; A person, city, or church, who forsakes the true 
God to follow a false one: Isa. i. 21 ; Rev. xvii. 5. 

Adultery ; Idolatry, and apostacy from {\od: Jet, iii. S, 9 ; 
Ezek. xxiii. 8; Rev. ii. 22. 

Angel; A messenger; and is applied to (1.) Those spiritual 
and intelligent beings employed by God to execute his orders of 
providence: Ezek. x. 8-22; Hob. i. 1-7, 11; Rev, iv. 6j v. 11 : 



370 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 

xxii. 8. (2.) Apostate, or fallen spirits : Matt. xxv. 41 ; 2 Pet. 
ii. 4 ; Jude 6. (3.) Ministers of the gospel : Eev. i. 20 ; ii. 1, 8, 
12, 18. (4.) The Lord Jesus Christ, who brought us salvation : 
Zech. i. 11, 12 ; Eev. x. 1. 

Apollyon ; in Greek is the same as Abaddon in Hebrew : See 
Abaddon. 

Arm ; (1.) The Almighty power of God : Exod. vi. 6 ; Isa. lii. 
10; lxii. 8; lxiii. 12; Jer. xxvii. 5. (2.) Jesus Christ is called 
the "arm of the Lord:" Isa. liii. 1. (3.) The strength and sup- 
port, protection and provision, which God gives to his people : 
Isa. xxxiii. 2. (4.) The saving power, love, and compassion of 
Christ : Isa. xl. 11 ; John xii. 38. (5.) God's gracious influence 
upon mankind : Isa. Ii. 9. (6.) The influence of men : Ps. x. 15 ; 
xxxvii. 17; Jer. xvii. 5. 

Arrows ; are (1.) Apprehensions of divine displeasure : Job 
vi. 4 ; Ps. xxxviii. 2. (2.) The judgments of God : 2 Sam. xxii. 
15; Lam. iii. 12; Ezek. v. 16; Hab. iii. 11. (3.) The malice, slan- 
der, and abuse of wicked men : Ps. xi. 2 ; lxiv. 3 ; Prov. xxv. 18 ; 
xxvi. 18 ; Jer. ix. 8. (4.) The means made use of by the wicked 
to injure others : Ps. lvii. 4. 

Babes ; are (1.) Weak-minded and insignificant persons, who 
lack understanding : Isa. iii. 4 ; Matt. xi. 25 ; Eom. ii. 20. (2.) 
Such as are weak in faith, know but little, and are given to 
change : 1 Cor. iii. 1 ; Heb. v. 13. (3.) Believers who are hum- 
ble, harmless and teachable, and feed on the pure milk of gospel 
truths : 1 Pet. ii. 2. 

Babylon ; The city of Eome ; so called on account of. the 
wickedness, idolatry, cruelty, and persecutions, that have taken 
place in it : Eev. xiv. 8 ; xvi. ; xvii. ; xviii. 

Balaam; False teachers, who, like him, love the wages of 
unrighteousness : 2 Pet. ii. 14, 15 ; Jude 11 ; Eev. ii. 15. 

Beast ; (1.) Ministers of the gospel who are bold, lively, and 
active, in executing God's commands : Eev. iv. ; v. ; vi. (2.) Cruel 
and brutish men : 1 Cor. xv. 32 ; 2 Pet. ii. 12. (3.) Antichrist : 
Eev. xiii. 2 ; xx. 4. 

Black, or Blackness ; must be understood according to what 
it is applied ; as, to gates, faces, skin, or clothes, it denotes great 



SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 371 

distress : Jer. viii. 21 ; xiv. 2; Joel ii. 6. To the church, remain- 
ing corruptions — and reproaches : Song i. 5, 6. To the hair of 
the head, beauty : Song v. 11 ; and soundness : Lev. xiii. 37. 
The gloomy end of false teachers : Jude 13. 

Blasphemy ; is (1.) Idolatry : Eev. xiii. 1, 5, 6 ; xvii. 3. (2.) 
To reproach God by ascribing to him anything sinful : 2 Sam. 
xii. 14; Titus ii. 5. (3.) To wilfully and maliciously reject 
Christ in opposition to the strongest convictions made on the 
mind by the Holy Ghost : Matt. xii. 21-31. 

Blindness ; Ignorance of divine things : Isa. xxix. 18 ; xiii. 
18, 19 ; lvi. 10 ; Matt, xxiii. 16 ; Rom. xi. 25 ; Eph. iv. 18. 

Blood ; (1.) Slaughter, or murder, with consequent guilt : Gen. 
iv. 10 ; Matt, xxvii. 24. (2.) The punishment due for the shed- 
ding of blood : Matt, xxvii. 25. (3.) That which is obtained by 
taking away the life of the innocent : Hab. ii. 12 ; Acts i. 19. 
(4.) The guilt and punishment of sin: Acts xviii. 6. (5.) Fallen 
nature : Ezek. xvi. 6 ; John i. 13. (6.) Symbol of the atonement 
by Christ: Matt. xxvi. 28; Heb. xiii. 20. 

Body ; (1.) The sanctified church of Christ, who are united to 
him and to each other by faith and love : 1 Cor. x. 17 ; xii. 13, 
27 ; Eph. iv. 16 ; Col. i. 18. (2.) The whole of the human family, 
being made one by Christ: Eph. ii. 16; v. 23; 1 Cor. xi. 3. (3.) 
Carnal affections and sinful inclinations : Rom. vii. 24 ; 1 Cor. 
ix. 27. 

Book; (1.) The counsel of God: Ps. xl. 7; cxxxix. 16; Heb. x. 
7. (2.) The omniscience, or remembrance of God: Bs. lvi. 8; 
Mai. iii. 16. (3.) The heavenly record of the people of God : 
Phil. iv. 3 ; Rev. iii. 5 ; xx. 12, 15 ; xxii. 19. 

Books; The consciences of men: Daniel vii. 10; Rev, xx. 12. 

Bow; (1.) God's promise and help: Bab, iii. 9. (2.) Faith and 
patience: Gen. xlix. 24. (3.) Health and vigor: Job xxix. 20. 
(4.) Evangelical conquest : Rev. vi. 2. 

Bowels; (1.) The heart, or affections : 2 Cor. vi, L2; Philemon 

7. (2.) Anient love and lender pity : Phil, i. 8. (3.) One dearly 
loved: Bhilenn 12. (1.) St iTCftlg ai'i'ect ion and pity: Col, iii. L2. 

(f).) Infinite compassion of (Jed: Isa. lxiii, L5; Jer, wxi. 20; 
Phil. ii. 1. 



372 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 

Braxch ; (1.) Jesus Christ : Isa. xi. 1 ; Jer. xxiii. 5 ; Zech. 
iii. 8 ; vi. 12. (2.) Eeal believers in Christ : John xv. 5. 

Bread ; (1.) Jesus Christ, on whom the Christian feeds by- 
faith : John vi. 35, 41, 48-51. (2.) Sound doctrine : Deut. viii. 3 ; 
Isa. lv. 2 ; Matt. iv. 4. (3.) Christian-fellowship : 1 Cor. x. 17. 

Bride ; The church of Christ : Bev. xxi. 9 ; xxii. 17. 

Bridegroom ; Christ the Husband of his Church : Matt. xxv. 
1-10 ; John iii. 29 ; Bev. xxi. 9. 

Briers; (1.) Mischievous persons: Ezek. ii. 6; xxviii. 24; 
Micah vii. 4. (2.) Sins and corruptions : Heb. vi. 8. 

Brimstone ; (1.) Terrible judgments : Deut. xxix. 23 ; Job 
xviii. 15 ; Ps. xi. 6 ; Isa. xxxiv. 9. (2.) The destruction of the 
damned : Bev. xxi. 8. 

Bulls ; (1.) Persons impatient in trouble : Isa. Ii. 20. (2.) 
Wicked men: Ps. xxii. 12; lxviii. 30. 

Candle, imports, (1.) The perfect knowledge of God : Zeph. i. 
12. (2.) God's favor and blessing : Job xxix. 3. (3.) Outward 
prosperity: Job xviii. 6; xxi. 17; Ps. xviii. 28. (4.) The ra- 
tional understanding : Prov. xx. 27. (5.) The gifts of God be- 
stowed on us for the benefit of others : Matt. v. 15, 16. 

Candlesticks, seven golden ones. The seven churches of 
Asia: Bev. i. 12, 20. 

Cedars; (1.)* Kings; princes of Judah : Isa. ii. 13. (2.) Emi- 
nent men : Zech. xi. 2. (3.) Saints : Judges ix. 15 ; Ps. xcii. 12 ; 
Song i. 17 ; , viii. 9 ; Isa. xli. 19. (4.) Proud and great men : Isa. 
ii. 13 ; x. 33, 34. 

Chaff ; (1.) Evil workers and evil works : Isa. xli. 15, 16 ; 
Hos. xiii. 3 ; Matt. iii. 12. (2.) Ealse doctrines : Jer. xxiii. 28. 
(3.) Fruitless projects : Isa. xxxiii. 11. 

Chain ; (1.) God's law : Prov. i. 9. (2.) Bondage or affliction : 
Lam. iii. 7 ; 2 Tim. i. 16. (3.) Sinful lusts and a condemning 
conscience : 2 Pet. ii. 4 ; Jude 6. (4.) Powerful restraints of 
Divine Providence: Bev. xx. 1, 2. 

Clouds ; (1.) Armies or multitudes : Isa. Ix. 8 ; Jer. iv. 13 ; 
Heb. xii. 1. (2.) Heaven : Ps. xxxvi. 5 ; lxviii. 34. 

Crown of life ; glory, and righteousness ; Immortal happi- 
ness, and glory of heaven : James i. 12 ; Bev. ii. 10 ; iii. 11 ; 1 
Pet. v. 4 ; 2 Tim. iv. 8. 



SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 373 

Cup ; (1.) The blessings of Providence and grace : Ps. xxiii. 
5. (2.) Grateful acknowledgment : Ps. cxvi. 13. (3.) The wine 
in the cup : 1 Cor. xi. 27. (4.) Sufferings and afflictions : Ps. 
lxxiii. 10 ; lxxv. 8 ; Isa. li. 17; Matt. xx. 23 ; xxvi. 39. 

Darkness ; (1.) Ignorance and unbelief : John i. 5 ; iii. 19 ; 
Acts xxvi. 18 ; Eph. vi. 12. (2.) Great distress : Isa. viii. 22 ; 
Joel ii. 2; Matt. xxii. 13. (3.) A private place — in parables: 
Matt. x. 27. (4.) Sin or impurity : 1 John i. 5. 

Day ; in prophetic language, is ; generally, put for a year ; and 
a week is seven years, and a mouth, is thirty ; which makes one 
year of time, 360 years : Ezek. iv. 5, 6 ; Dan. ix. 24 ; vii. 25. (1.) 
An appointed time : Isa. xxxiv. 8. (2.) State of knowledge : 1 
Thess. v. 5. 

Death; (1.) Insensibility to the evil of sin — unrenewed by 
grace : Eph. ii. 1 ; Eev. iii. 1. (2.) Mortification of what is sin- 
ful : Eom. vi. 8 ; 1 Pet. ii. 24. (3.) Dominion and pollution of 
sin : Luke i. 79 ; Jude 12 ; 1 John iii. 14. 

Devil ; (1.) Chief of the fallen angels : Kev. xii. 9, 10 ; 1 Pet. 
v. 8; Matt. iv. 1 to 11. (2.) Wicked men who do his works : John 
vi. 70 ; viii. 44. 

Dew ; (1.) Jesus Christ, and God in him : Isa. xxvi. 19 ; Hos. 
xiv. 5. (2.) Divine truths : Deut. xxxii. 2. 

Dogs ; (1.) Gentiles as sunk in impurity : Matt. xv. 26, 27. 
(2.) Idle, avaricious ministers of religion ; Isa. lvi. 10, 11 ; Phil, 
iii. 2. (3.) Persecutors : Ps. xxii. 16. (4.) Open enemies to re- 
ligion : Matt. vii. 6. (5.) Immodest and unclean persons : Deut. 
xxiii. 18; Eev. xxii. 15. (6.) Satan: Ps. xxii. 20 j Matt, iv. 11 j 
John xiv. 30. 

Door; (1.) Jesus Christ the only way into heaven : John x. 7, 
9; xiv. 0. (2.) Commencement of a new government : Rev.iv. 1. 

Dragon; (1.) A. royal enemy: Ezek. \.\i\. 2, 3, (2.) Cruel 
Ps.lxxiv. L3. (3.) The Devil: Rev. xii. 9. (4.) Wicked 
men: [sa. xxxv. 7; xliii. 20. (5.) Antichrist: Rev. xiii. 2, (6.) 
Whatever is hurtful : Ps. xci. L3. 

Drink; (1.) To be satiated with slaughter: Ezek, xxxix. 18, 
1 ( .). (2.) Sinning with greediness : Job xv, L6. (3.) Sufferings: 
Matt. xx. 23. (4.) Spiritual delights: John iv. II; vii. :57; 
Song viii. 2, 



374 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 

Druxkexxess ; (1.) Delusion, error, idolatry, and superstition, 
madly pursued : Isa. xxviii. 7 ; Eev. xvii. 2. (2.) To be over- 
whelmed with afflictions : Isa. lxiii. 6 ; Jer. xiii. 13. (3.) To be 
given to luxury and wantonness : Hab< ii. 15 ; 1 Thess. v. 7. 

Dust; (1.) Death and the grave: Gen. iii. 19; Job vii. 21; Ps. 
xxii. 15. (2.) Multitude : Gen. iii. 16 ; Xumb. xxiii. 10. (3.) A 
low condition : 1 Sam. ii. 8 ; Xahum iii. 18. (4.) Dead men : Ps. 
xxx. 9. (5.) Earthly things : Amos ii. 7. 

Eagle; (1.) The kings of Babylon and Egypt: Ezek. xvii. 3, 7. 
(2.) The Eoman army, whose standards were eagles : Deut. xxviii. 
49 ; Matt. xxiv. 28. (3.) Emblem of strength : Ps. ciii. 5 ; Isa. 
xl. 31. 

Earth; (1.) The human family: Gen. vi. 13; xi. 1; Ps. xcvi. 1. 
(2.) A debased condition: Eev. vi. 13; xii. 13. 

Earthex-yessels ; human bodies: 2 Cor. iv. 7. 

Earthquake ; Alarming providences : Ps. xviii. 7 ; xlvi. 2 ; 
Isa. xxix. 6 ; Eev. vi. 12 ; viii. 5 ; xi. 13, 19 ; xvi. 18. 

Egypt ; Antichrist, or wickedness : Eev. xi. 8. 

Elders, twenty-four ; The principal saints of the Old and New 
Testaments : Eev. iv. 4 ; vii. 11, 13 ; xiv. 3. 

Eyes ; (1.) The infinite wisdom and knowledge of God : Ps. xi. 
4 ; xxxii. 8 ; Prov. xv. 3. (2.) God's watchful providence : Ps. 
xxxiv. 15 ; Jer. % xxiv. 6. (3.) The penetrating knowledge of 
Christ : Eev. i. 14. (4.) The minds and understandings of men : 
Gen. iii. 7 ; Acts xxvi. 18 ; xxviii. 27 ; Eom. xi. 10 ; Eph. i. 18. 
(5.) A friendly counsellor : Job xxix. 15. (6.) Human designs : 
Matt. vi. 22, 23. (7.) The whole man : Eev. i. 7. 

Pace ; (1.) The Omniscience of the Lord : 1 Sam. xxvi. 20 ; 
Isa. lxv, 3. (2.) The displeasure of God: Ps. xxxiv. 16. (3.) 
God's glory : Exod. xxxiii. 20. (4.) The love and favor of God : 
2 Chron. xxx. 9 ; Ps. xxx. 7 ; lxxx. 7. (5.) Obstinately impenitent 
sinners : Jer. v. 3. 

Family ; The church, militant and triumphant : Eph. iii. 15. 

Pax ; (1.) The judgments of God : Jer. xv. 7. (2.) The gos- 
pel dispensation : Matt. iii. 12. 

Fat ; (1.) Great men : Ps. xxii. 29 ; Isa. v. 17 ; x. 16 ; Ezek. 
xxxiv. 16, 20 ; Jer. v. 28. (2.) Spiritual blessings : Ps. lxiii. 5 ; 
xcii. 14 ; Prov. xi. 25 ; xiii. 4 ; xv. 30 ; xxviii, 25 ; Jer. xxxi. 14. 



SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 375 

Fatling ; (1.) Jesus Christ : Luke xv. 23. (2.) The blessings 
of the gospel : Tsa. xxv. 6 ; Matt. xxii. 4. (3.) The saints : 
Isa. xi. 6. 

Father ; (1.) Creator and Preserver : Mai. ii. 10 ; Heb. xii. 9. 
(2.) Author and Bestower : Eph. i. 17 ; 2 Cor. i. 3 ; Job xxxviii. 
28, 29. (3.) An inventor of any art ; or instructor of others : 
Gen. iv. 20, 21 ; Judges xvii. 10; 1 Sam. x. 12; 2 Chron. ii. 13; 
2 Kings ii. 12. (4.) Founders of cities : 2 Chron. ii. 3. (5.) Old 
Testament saints : Heb. i. 1. (6.) The devil, who is the author 
of evil : John viii. 44. 

Field; (1.) The world in which God has placed us to work: 
Matt. xiii. 38. (2.) The Scriptures, which contain all that is 
valuable: Matt. xiii. 44. 

Fire ; (1.) God, who will consume whatever is opposed to his 
nature, and refine what is impure : Deut. iv. 24 ; Isa. x. 17 ; Heb. 
xii. 29. (2.) Destructive calamities : Isa. xiii. 25; lxvi. 15; Ezek. 
xxii. 31. (3.) God's word : Ps. xxxix. 3 ; Jer. v. 14 ; xx. 9 ; 
xxiii. 29. 

Fish; Men, who are numerous and frequently taken: Ezek. 
xlvii. 9, 10; Hab. i. 14-17; Matt. xiii. 47-50. 

Flesh; (1.) Corruptions of our nature: Rom. viii. 8-13. (2.) 
Legal righteousness or outward performances: Bom. iv. 1-1. 
(3.) In-dwelling grace : Ezek. xxxvi. 2G. (4.) That which is 
weak and helpless : Isa. xxxi. 3. (5.) Mortal man : Isa. xl. G. 
(6.) Human attainments : Phil. iii. 3, 4. 

Fobbhbad, mark in the ; (1.) A public and open profession ot 
religion or heresy: Rev. vii. 3; xiii. 1(>; xiv. 1 ; xxii. 1. 
A jewel in the forehead — great honor: Ezek. xvi. 12. 

Foundation ; (1.) The purpose of God : 2 Tim. ii. PI (2.) 
Christ JeSUS: Isa. xxviii. 16 j Prov, x. 25 j Eph. ii. 20; 1 Tim. 

vi. 19. (3.) Magistrates: Ps. lxxxii. 5. (4.) The first principles 

of religion : Heb. vi. 1, 2. 

Foixtaix; (1.) GrOd, the SOTirce Of all COmfort: Ps. xxxvi. ( .) ; 

Jer. ii. L3. (2.) Jesus Christ, through whom all comfort Hows: 
Zech. xiii. 1. (;>.) Children, or posterity : Prov, v. L6, 

Fox; A sly,artful hypocrite, who conceals his true character: 
Luke xiii. 32. 



376 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 

Furnace ; (1.) A place of cruel bondage : Deut. iv. 20 ; Isa. 
xlviii. 10; Jer. xi. 4. (2.) Calamity by which God refines his 
people : Isa. xxxi. 9. (3.) The destruction of evil works and 
evil workers : Matt. xiii. 42. 

Garments ; (1.) The souls of men : Eev. iii. 4. (2.) Emblems 
of purity : Isa. Iii. 1 ; lxi. 10 ; Eev. iii. 4, 5 ; xix. 8. 

Gate ; (1.) Power or dominion : Gen. xxii. 17 ; Matt. xvi. 18. 
(2.) The border of the grave : Ps. ix. 13 ; Isa. xxxviii. 10. (3.) 
Security : Ps. cxlvi. 13. (4.) The ordinances of divine worship : 
Ps. ix. 14. (5.) Eegeneration : Matt. vii. 13. 

Goa and Magog; (1.) The great Scythian powers of former 
ages : Ezek. xxxviii. 2. (2.) Infidel nations : Eev. xx. 8. 

Gold ; The graces of the Holy Spirit : Ps. xlv. 13 ; Eev. iii. 18. 

Grapes; The fruits of true religion; also hypocritical pro- 
fessions : Isa. v. 2. 

Hail ; The invasion of violent enemies : Isa. xxviii. 2 ; xxxii. 
19 ; Eev. viii. 7. 

Hand ; (1.) Favor and protection : Ps. xviii. 35 ; lxxiii. 23. 
(2.) Power, strength : Ps. xvii. 7 ; xx. 6 ; xliv. 3 ; Isa. xlviii. 13 ; 
1.2. 

Harvest ; (1.) A people ripe for the judgments of God : Isa. 
xviii. 5 ; Joel iii. 13. (2.) The end of the world : Matt. xiii. 39. 

Head ; (1.) The ruling principle in man : Isa. i. 6. (2.) Chief 
of a people : Micah iii. 1, 9, 11. (3.) The metropolis of a coun- 
try : Isa. vii. 8, 9. 

Heaven — heavens ; (1.) God : Dan. iv. 26 ; Luke xv. 21. 
(2.) Angels : Job xv. 15. (3.) The church militant : Eev. xii. 1, 
7-9. (4.) Governments : Isa. xiii. 13 ; Hag. ii. 6, 21. 

Hell; (1.) The grave: Ps. Iv. 15; Jonah ii. 2; Hab. ii. 5. (2.) 
Eeceptacle of departed spirits : Eev. xx. 13, 14. (3.) Place of 
torment : Luke xvi. 23. 

Horn; (1.) Strength: Eev. v. 6. (2.) Divine protection : Ps. 
xviii. 2 ; Amos iii. 14 ; Luke i. 69. (3.) Ebyal power : Ps. xcii. 
10; Jer. xlviii. 25; Dan. vii. 20, 24; Zech. i. 18. 

Horse, white — of victory ; red — of bloody war ; black — of 
famine and disease; pale — of pestilence, which is death in tri- 
umph : Eev. vi. 2-8 ; Zech. vi. 2. 3. 



SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 377 

Horses ; Emblems of conquest : Jer. iv. 13 ; Joel ii. 4 ; Hab. 
i. 8. 

House ; (1.) Heaven : John xiv. 2. (2.) The church of God : 

1 Pet. ii. 5 ; iv. 17 ; Heb. iii. 6. (3.) Persons who dwell together : 
Acts x. 2 ; xvi. 32, 34 ; xviii. 8 ; Heb. xi. 7. (4.) The substance 
and support of a family : Mark xii. 40. (5.) The human body : 

2 Cor. v. 1. 

Hunger ; (1.) An ardent desire after Christ and his righteous- 
ness : Matt. v. 6 ; Luke i. 53. (2.) A desire for the happiness of 
the world : Prov. xix. 15 ; John vi. 35. 

Idolatry ; (1.) Covetousness : Eph. v. 5 ; Col. iii. 5 ; Phil. iii. 
19. (2.) Loving an object more than God : 1 John v. 21. 

Image of gold, silver, brass, and iron. The Assyrian, Persian, 
Macedonian, and Eoman monarchies : Dan. ii. 31-45. 

Infirmities ; (1.) Bodily weaknesses : Matt. viii. 17 ; Isa. liii. 
4; 1 Tim. v. 23. (2.) Afflictions, reproaches, persecutions, and 
buffetings : 2 Cor. xii. 10. (3) Spiritual defects : Eom. vi. 19 ; 
viii. 26. 

Jerusalem ; (1.) The church of God : Ps. cxxii. 6 ; Isa. lxv. 
18 ; Iii. 1 ; Gal. iv. 24-26. (2.) The heavenly state : Heb. xii. 22; 
Eev. iii. 12. 

Key ; (1.) Power and authority : Isa. xxii. 22 ; Rev. i. 18 ; iii. 
7; xx. 1. (2.) Commission to preach the gospel: Matt. xvi. 19. 
(3.) Means of Scriptural knowledge : Luke xi. 52. 

Laborers ; (1.) Ministers of the Gospel : Matt. ix. 37, 38 ; 
1 Cor. iii. 9. (2.) All who are heartily engaged in the service of 
Christ : Matt. xx. 1-16. 

Lamb; (1.) Jesus Christ; who was typified by the paschal- 
lamb and daily sacrifice: Exod. xii. 3; xxix. 38-42; John i. 1 )( .) ; 
Rev. xiii. 8. (2.) Every true follower of Jesus : John xxi. 15. 

Lamp; (I.) A successor : L Kings xv. 4 j Ps. cxxxii. 17. (2.) 
Profession of religion: Matt. xxv. 8,4. (3.) Prosperity: Prov. 
xiii. 9; xx. 20. (4.) Divine light : 2 Sam. xxii. 29. 

Leaven; (1.; Hie doctrines of Christ: Matt, xiii. '2:). (2.) 
Corrupt doctrines of men: Matt. xvi. (>, 12. (3.) Scandalous 
practices : 1 Cor. v. 6. 

Legs; (I.) Strength: Ps. cxlvii. It); Song v. 15, (2.) Roman 
Empire governed by two Consuls: Dan. ii. 33, 



378 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 

Leopard ; (1.) A subtle, violent foe : Dan. vii. 6. (2.) Neb- 
uchadnezzar and bis army : Jer. v. 6 ; Hab. i. 8. (3.) Antichrist : 
Key. xiii. 2. (4.) Men naturally fierce and cruel : Isa. xi. 6. 

Life ; (1.) Jesus Christ, the source of natural, spiritual, and 
eternal life : John i. 4 ; xi. 25 ; xiv. 6 ; Col. iii. 4. (2.) Doctrines 
of the Gospel : John vi. 33, 63. (3.) The state of believers : John 
iii. 36 ; v. 24 ; Col. iii. 3. (4.) Eternal blessedness of heaven : 
Ps. xvi. 11; Eom. v. 17. (5.) Spiritual strength derived from 
Christ: 2 Cor. iv. 10. (6.) The resurrection and intercession of 
Christ : Eom. v. 10. 

Light ; (1.) A son or successor : 1 Kin. xi. 36 ; 2 Chron. xxi. 
7. (2.) Peace and joy : Esther viii. 16 ; Ps. xcvii. 11. (3.) Spir- 
itual knowledge and true holiness : Isa. viii. 20 ; Eph. v. 8 ; 
1 John i. 7. (4.) Prosperity and happiness : Isa. lviii. 8. (5.) 
Support and deliverance : Micah vii. 8. 

Lion ; (1.) Christ, who is mighty and invincible : Rev. v. 5. 
(2.) The tribe of Judah and its kings, who were a terror to their 
enemies : Gen. xlix. 9. (3.) The devil, who is fierce, and cruel : 
1 Pet. v. 8. (4.) Cruel oppressors : 2 Tim. iv. 17. (5.) Enemies 
and evils : Ps. xci. 13. (6.) Imaginary difficulties : Prov. xxii. 13. 

Locusts ; Authors or teachers of false and poisonous doctrines : 
Eev. ix. 3. 

Manna; Comforts, and blessings flowing from Jesus Christ: 
Eev. ii. 17. 

Moon; (1.) The church of Christ, who derives all her light 
from Christ the Sun of righteousness : Song vi. 10. (2.) The 
world with all its changing * scenes : Kev. xii. 1. (3.) Outward 
prosperity : Isa. Ix. 20. (4.) Inferior magistrates : Ezek. xxxii. 
7 ; Matt. xxiv. 29 ; Eev. vi. 12 ; viii. 12. 

Mountain; (1.) The church of God: Isa. ii. 2; xi. 9; Dan. 
ii. 35, 45. (2.) The ordinances of Christ : Joel iii. 18 ; Song ii. 
8 ; iv. 6. (3.) The people dwelling in a mountainous country : 
Ezek. vi. 2, 3. (4.) High places whereon idols were worshipped : 
Isa. lvii. 7; Ezek. xviii. 6, 11. (5.) Idols worshipped in high 
places : Jer. iii. 23. (6.) Men high in station, as magistrates in 
the state, and ministers in the church : Ps. lxxii. 3 ; Isa. xliv. 23 ; 
lv. 12. (7.) Hindrances, provocations, and enemies of the gospel 



SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 379 

and church : Isa. xl. 4 ; xlix. 11 ; xli. 15. (8.) The heavens, 
which are high: Ps. cxxi. 1. (9.) Samaria, because built on a 
hill : Amos iv. 1 ; vi. 1. 

Mystery ; (1.) The calling of the Gentiles, which was long a 
secret : Rom. xvi. 25 ; Col. i. 26, 27. (2.) The union between 
Christ and believers : Mark iv. 11 ; Rev. i. 20. 

Naked ; (1.) A graceless soul : Rev. iii. 17, 18. (2.) Destitute 
of worldly comforts : Job i. 21. (3.) Deprived of divine favor 
and protection : Exod. xxxii. 25 ; 2 Chron. xxviii. 19. (4.) Dis- 
covered, known, and manifest : Job xxvi. 6 ; Heb. iv. 13. 

Night ; (1.) A time of ignorance and unbelief : Rom. xiii. 12. 
(2.) Affliction and adversity : Isa. xxi. 12. (3.) Suddenly, unex- 
pectedly : Isa. xv. 1 ; Luke xii. 20. (4.) Death : John ix. 4. 

Oaks; Governors, and men of valor: Isa. ii. 13; Zech. xi. 2. 

Olive, wild — Gentiles: Rom. xi. 17. Cultivated olive: Church 
of Christ : Rom. xi. 24 ; Jer. xi. 16. 

Palm ; Symbol of joy and victory : Rev. vii. 9. 

Paradise ; Future state of happiness of believers : Luke xxiii. 
43 ; 2 Cor. xii. 4 ; Rev. ii. 7. 

Passover; Jesus Christ, who was typified by the paschal- 
lamb : 1 Cor. v. 7 ; Rom. iii. 25. 

Physician; (1.) Jesus Christ: Matt. ix. 12. (2.) Prophets 
and spiritual teachers : Jer. viii. 22. (3.) An embalmer of dead 
bodies : Gen. 1. 2. (4.) Comforters : Job xiii. 4. 

Pillar; (1.) The chief support of a family or state : Prow ix. 
I ; Jer. i. 18 ; Gal. ii. 9. (2.) The church : 1 Tim. iii. 15. 

Poison; Wickedness in doctrine, language, or course: Deut. 
xxxii. 33; Ps. lviii. 4; cxl. 3; Rom. iii. 13; James iii. 8. 

Prison; (1.) A low, base condition: Eool. iv. 14 (2.) spirit- 
ual bondage : Isa. xiii. 7. (:>.) Powerful restraint : Rev, xx. 7. 
Ilif grave : Isa. liii. <s. (5.) State of those who die impeni- 
tent: I Peter iii. 1S-l>o ; iv. <;. 

Bain; (1.) Whatever is refreshing and tends to make persons 
fruitful ingood works: Dent, xxxii. ii; Ps. ixviii, 9j Isa. v.6j 
Ezek. xxxiv. 26. (2.) Destructive judgments : Ezek, xiii, 11. 

Kivbbj (1.) Great plenty: Job urix.6; IN. ixxvi. 8j John 
vii. 38, (2.) The ordinances ami blessings of tic Gospel: Ps. 



380 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 

xlvi. 4 ; Ezek. xlvii, 5, 9 ; Joel iii. 18 ; Eev. xxii. 1. (3.) Great 
quantity : Job xl. 23. (4.) Plentiful showers of rain : Ps. lxv. 9. 

Bock; (1.) The patriarch of a nation: Isa. li. 1. (2.) God 
Deut. xxxii. 31 ; Ps. xviii. 2 ; Isa. xvii. 10. (3.) Jesus Christ 
Isa. xxxii. 2 ; Matt. vii. 25 ; xvi. 18. (4.) Stony-hearted sinners 
Luke viii. 6. 

Eod ; (1.) God's pastoral care of his church : Ps. xxiii. 4. (2.) 
The gospel of Christ : Ps. ex. 2. (3.) The great power of Christ : 
Ps. ii. 9 ; Eev. ii. 27. (4.) Afflictions : 2 Sam. vii. 14 ; Job ix. 
34 ; Micah vi. 9. (5.) Church censures : Micah vii. 14 ; 1 Cor. 
iv. 21. (6.) The princes of Judah : Ezek. xix. 14. (7.) Power 
and authority : Ps. exxv. 3. 

Salt ; (1.) Duration to all futurity : Numb, xviii. 19 ; 2 Chron. 
xiii. 5. (2.) Wisdom : Col. iv. 6. (3.) Christian principles and 
virtues : Matt. v. 13. 

Sea ; (1.) A multitude of enemies : Jer. li. 42. (2.) Inhabi- 
tants of the islands of the sea : Isa. Ix. 5. (3.) Pull and free 
pardon of sin : Micah vii. 19. 

Seal ; sealed ; (1.) Security : Song iv. 12. (2.) Not to be 
understood : Isa. xxix. 11. (3.) Authorized, or commissioned : 
John vi. 27. (4.) Marked as belonging to God : Eph. i. 13 ; Eev. 
vii. 2-4. 

Seed; (1.) The whole posterity of Abraham : Eom. ix. 7. (2.) 
All the faithful, whether Jews or Gentiles : Eom. iv. 16. (3.) 
Jesus Christ : Gen. xxii. 18 ; Gal. iii. 16. (4.) Sound doctrine : 
Luke viii. 5, 11 ; 1 Pet. i. 23 ; 1 John iii. 9. 

Serpext ; (1.) Satan, the devil : Gen. iii. 1, 2, 4, 13, 14 ; 2 
Cor. xi. 3 ; Eev. xii. 9. 

Sheep ; (1.) The followers of Christ : Zech. xiii. 7 ; John x. 
1-15; xxi. 16, 17; 1 Pet. ii. 25. (2.) All the human family: Ps. 
c. 3 ; Isa. liii. 6 ; John x. 16. 

Shepherds ; Civil and political rulers : Jer. xxv. 34. 

Shield ; (1.) Protection and defence : Gen. xv. 1 ; Ps. v. 12. 
(2.) Princes and great men : Ps. xlvii. 9. 

Sleep; (1.) Spiritual stupidity, and unconcern: Eph. v. 14. 
(2.) Carnal security: Eom. xiii. 11. (3.) Death: Dan. xii. 2; 
1 Thess. iv. 13, 14. 



SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 381 

Sober ; Humble, thoughtful, temperate, and grave : Eom. xii. 
3 ; Titus ii. 4, 12 ; 1 Pet. v. 8. 

Sodom ; (1.) Judali : Isa. i. 10 ; Jer. xxiii. 14. (2.) The anti- 
christian state : Rev. xi. 8. 

Sores ; (1.) Spiritual diseases : Isa. i. 6 ; liii. 4, 5. (2.) Sins 
and miseries : 2 Chron. vi. 29. (3.) Heavy affliction : Job v. 18. 
(4.) Great calamity : Eev. xvi. 2. 

Sower; A preacher of the Gospel: Matt. xiii. 3, 37; Mark 
iv. 3, 14 ; Luke viii. 5 ; 2 Cor. ix. 10. 

Stars ; (1.) Angels : Job xxxviii. 7. (2.) Princes — rulers : 
Numb. xxiv. 17; Dan. viii. 10; Eev. xxii. 16; (3.) Faithful 
ministers of the gospel : Eev. i. 20. (4.) The apostles in their 
inspired doctrines : Eev. xii. 1. 

Stone ; (1.) Jesus Christ : Ps. cxviii. 22 ; Isa. xxviii. 16 ; viii. 
14 ; 1 Pet. ii. 8 ; Matt. xxi. 42, 44. (2.) A real believer in Jesus : 
1 Pet. ii. 5. (3.) A full and free remission of all sin : Eev. ii. 17. 

Sun ; (1.) Jesus Christ, the quickener, enlightener, and com- 
forter of his people : Mai. iv. 2. (2.) The righteousness of Christ : 
Eev. xii. 1. (3.) Kings and chief magistrates : Ezek. xxxii. 7 ; 
Matt. xxiv. 29 ; Eev. vi. 12 ; viii. 12. (4.) States, civil and eccle- 
siastical : Joel ii. 31 ; Acts ii. 20. 

Swine; Unclean, ignorant, persecuting unbelievers: Matt. vii. 6. 

Sword ; (1.) The judgments of God : Deut. xxxii. 41, 42. (2.) 
The instruments with which God executes his judgments : Ps. 
xvii. 13. (3.) Power and authority: Eom. xiii. 1. 

Tabernacle; (1.) The human nature of Christ, typified by 
the Jewish tabernacle: Heb. viii. 2; ix. 11. (2.) Our natural 
bodies: 2 Cor. v. 1 ; 2 Pet. i. 13. (3.) The true church : Ps, xv. 1. 

Talents; The gifts of God bestowed on men for their im- 
provement : Matt. xxv. 15. 

Tajiks; The works of the devil : Matt xiii. 25, 38, 39. 

Teeth; (1.) Cruelty, slander, and calumny: Ps. Ivii. 4; iviii, 
6; Prov. x\\. 11. (2.) Power to do mischief: Ps. Iviii. f>. 

Thirst; (1.) An eager desire after happiness : [sa.lv. 1. (2.) 
Vehement desire alter Chrisl : Rev, xxii, 17 ; .Matt. v. 6. 

Thorns; (1.) Wicked men, who are barren and mischievous: 
Ezek. xxviii. 24 ; Matt. vii. L6. (2.) Worldly and carnal hearts; 



382 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 

Matt. xiii. 7, 22 ; Luke viii. 14. (3.) Stubborn unbelievers : 
Ezek. ii. 6. 

Throxe ; (1.) Heaven, where God manifests his glory : Isa. vi. 
2 ; Ixvi. 1. (2.) An order of holy angels : Col. i. 16. (3.) Sov- 
ereign power and dignity : Gen. xli. 40 ; 2 Sam. vii. 13, 16. 

Thuxder ; (1.) Destructive calamities : Isa. xxix. 6. (2.) The 
noise of an army: Job xxxvii. 45. (3.) The preaching of the 
gospel : Mark iii. 17 ; Eev. xiv. 2. 

Tower ; (1.) God in Christ : Ps. lxi. 3 ; Prov. xviii. 10. (2.) 
Proud, lofty men : Isa. ii. 15 ; xxx. 25. 

Travail ; (1.) Sudden and painful calamities : Jer. iv. 31 ; 
xiii. 21 ; xxx. 6, 7 ; Hos. xiii. 13 ; 1 Thess. v. 3. (2.) Pains and 
labor to commit sin : Ps. vii. 14. (3.) The prayers and pains of 
the church, when in distress : Micah v. 3 ; Gal. iv. 19 ; Eev. 
xii. 2. 

Tree-of-life ; Jesus Christ, with all the pleasures of immor- 
tality : Eev. ii. 7 ; xxii. 2. 

Trees ; (1.) Godly men : Isa. lxi. 3. (2.) The King of As- 
syria's army : Isa. x. 19. (3.) The inhabitants of Jerusalem : 
Matt. iii. 10 ; vii. 19. . 

Uxicorxs; Powerful and wicked men: Isa. xxxiv. 7; Ps. xxii. 
21. It denotes uncommon strength : Xumb. xxiii. 22. 

Vixe ; (1.) God's ancient Israel : Ps. lxxx. 8 ; Jer. ii. 21 ; 
Ezek. xv. 2 ; Hos. x. 1. (2.) Antichrist : Eev. xiv. 18, 19. 

Vixeyard ; The church : Isa. v. 1-7 ; Matt. xx. 1-16 ; xxi. 28- 
45 ; Luke xiii. 6, 7. 

Virgix ; A nation, or city ; especially if never subdued by an 
enemy : 2 Kin. xix. 21 ; Isa. xxiii. 12 ; xlvii. 1 ; Jer. xlvi. 11 ; 
Lam. i. 15 ; Amos v. 2. 

Voice ; (1.) Thunder : Ps. xxix. 3. (2.) Alarming providences : 
Amos i. 2; Micah vi. 9. (3.) God's laws, and offers of grace: 
Exod. xv. 26 ; Heb. iii. 7, 15 ; Eev. iii. 20. 

Walk; (1.) Conversation or manner of life : Eom. vi. 4; Eph. 
iv. 1, 17. (2.) To depend upon, please, and retain an abiding 
sense of the favor of God : Gen. v. 24 ; vi. 9 ; xvii. 1. (3.) To 
be governed by corrupt fleshly appetites : Eom. viii. 1. (4.) To 
regulate the whole life by the word and Spirit of God : Eom. viii. 
1. (5.) To take God at his word : 2 Cor. v. 7 ; Eph. ii. 10. 



SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 383 

. Wash; To purify, cleanse, and make white. (1.) Natural: 
Gen. xviii. 4. (2.) Ceremonial : Heb. ix. 10. (3.) Moral : Ps. 
xxvi. 6 ; lxxiii. 13. (4.) Spiritual : Ps. li. 2 ; Ezek. xvi. 9. (5.) 
Sacramental : Acts xxii. 16. (6.) Superstitious : Matt. xv. 2. 
(7.) Miraculous : 2 Kin. v. 10. It denotes, (1.) Abundance : Job 
xxix. 6. (2.) Eef ormation : Isa. i. 16 ; Prov. xxx. 12. (3.) Ke- 
moval of guilt : 1 Cor. vi. 11 ; Kev. i. 5 ; vii. 14. (4.) A token 
of innocency : Matt, xxvii. 24. 

Water ; (1.) Afflictions and trouble : Ps. lxix. 1, 2. (2.) A 
multitude of people : Isa. viii. 7 ; Rev. xvii. 15. (3.) Children or 
posterity : jSTunib. xxiv. 7 ; Prov. v. 15, 16 ; Isa. xlviii. 1. (4.) 
Evangelical doctrines : 1 Cor. iii. 6. (5.) Ordinances of the gos- 
pel : Isa. lv. 1 ; Eev. xxii. 17. (6.) Refreshing graces of the Holy 
Spirit : Isa. xii. 3 ; xxxv. 6, 7 ; xliv. 3 ; John vii. 37, 38. (7.) 
Forbidden pleasures : Prov. ix. 17. (8.) The blessed gospel going 
forth from Jerusalem : Ezek. xlvii. 1-11. (9.) Glory and joy of 
heaven: Rev. xxii. 1. 

Week ; Seven years. See Day. 

Wilderness ; (1) The Gentile world, previous to the spread of 
the gospel : Isa. xxxv. 1, 6 ; xli. 18, 19 ; xliii. 19, 20. (2.) General 
desolation : Isa. xxvii. 10 ; Jer. xxii. 6. (3.) A country not so 
thickly peopled as others near it : Matt. iii. 1 ; Joshua xv. 61, 
62. (4.) The present world of trial : 1 Cor. x. 5, 6. 

Wind ; (1.) The powerful operations of the Holy Spirit : John 
iii. 8; Acts ii. 2. (2.) The judgments of God: Isa. xxvii. 8 ; Jer. 
xviii. 19; xxv. 32; xxx. 23; Hos. iv. 19. (3.) Destruction of 
inhabitants : Jer. iv. 11, 12 ; li. 1. 

Winds, four; General destructions : Jer.xlht.36; Han. vii. 2; 
\lvv. vii. 1. 

Wine; (1.) The provisions of the Gospel: Isa. xxv. 6; lv. 1. 
(2.) Temporal blessings: Ps. iv. 7; Hos. ii.8, ( v .'>.) Comfort ami 
consolation: Prov, xxxi. (i. (4.) The judgments o( God: Ps. 
lxxv. 8; Jer. xxv. 15; Rev. xiv. 10; xvi. 19. 

Wings; (1.) Protection or defence : ExocLxix L; Ps. xvii. 8; 
xxxvi. 7; xri. 1. (2.) Sealing virtue of Chris! : Mai, iv, 2. 

Witnesses; (1.) Plagues and judgments: Job x. 17. (2.) Per- 
secuted churches or ministers: Rev, xi. 3, 



384 SYMBOLICAL LANGUAGE OF THE BIBLE. 

Wolf, wolves ; (1.) Wicked, fierce, and cruel men, transformed 
by the gospel and grace of Christ : Isa. xi. 6. (2.) Persecutors : 
Matt. x. 16; Luke x. 3. (3.) Avaricious unconverted ministers 
of religion : Acts xx. 29. 

Woman ; (1.) The true church, the spouse of Christ : Rev. xii. 
1 ; xxi. 9. (2.) The antichristian church : Eev. xvii. 3. 

Womex ; (1.) Nations or cities : Ezek. xxiii. 2, 3, 44. (2.) 
Weak, effeminate men : Isa. iii. 12 ; xix. 16. 

Wonder ; (1.) Presage of calamities : Isa. xx. 3. (2.) The 
saints, who are wondered at : Ps. lxxi. 7 ; Isa. viii. 18. 

Word 5 (1.) The whole of the divinely inspired writings : 
Luke xi. 28 ; James i. 22. (2.) The divine law which commands 
what is good, and prohibits every evil : Ps. cxix. 101. (3.) The 
promises of God : Ps. cxix. 25, 38, 49. (4.) Vision, or prophecy : 
Isa. ii. 1. (5.) God's command : Ps. cxlvii. 18. (6.) Command 
of Christ : Luke v. 5 ; vii. 7. (7.) Whatever God in his provi- 
dence provides, and blesses to our support : Matt. iv. 3, 4. 

Worm ; A person, weak, mean, and despised : Job xxv. 6 ; Ps. 
xxii. 6. 

Year ; (1.) A season of remarkable calamities : Jer. xi. 23. 
(2.) The Gospel-period: Isa. lxi. 2. (3.) Unbounded duration: 
Ps. cii. 27 ; Heb. i. 12. See Day. 

Yesterday ; (1.) Any time lately past : Job viii. 9. (2.) All 
time past : Heb. xiii. 8. 

Yoke ; (1.) Bondage or slavery : Levit. xxvi. 13 ; Deut. xxviii. 
48 ; Isa. ix. 4 ; x. 27. (2.) Afflictions and restraint : Lam. iii. 27. 
(3.) Punishment for sin: Lam.' i. 14. (4.) Painful religious rites : 
Acts xv. 10 ; Gal. v. 1. (5.) The easy commands of Christ : Matt, 
xi. 29, 30. 

Zeal ; (1.) God's great and holy regard to his own honor, and 
his people's good : 2 Kings xix. 31 ; Isa. xxxvii. 32. (2.) An 
eagerness to have God honored, and true holiness promoted: 
Numb. xxv. 13; Ps. lxix. 9. (3.) An imprudent eagerness for 
trifles, rather than duties — and to promote the cause of self, 
rather than the cause of God : Bom. x. 2, 3 ; Phil. iii. 6 5 2 Kings 
x. 16. 

Zion ; (1.) The church, whether Jewish or Christian : Ps. cii. 



THE JEWISH OFFERINGS. 385 

13 ; Isa. ii. 3 ; Heb. xii. 22. (2.) Heaven : Isa. li. 11 ; Eev. xiv. 1. 
(3.) Mount Hermon, or some hills that were near it : Ps. cxxxiii. 
3. (4.) The worshippers at the temple, or inhabitants of Jerusa- 
lem : Ps. xcvii. 8. (5.) The temple and its courts : Ps. lxv. 1 ; 
lxxxiv. 7. 

THE JEWISH OFFERINGS. 

The Jewish offerings may be divided into two general parts : 
namely, Gifts, where no life was taken ; and Sacrifices, in which 
the life of what was offered was taken away : Heb. v. 1. The 
design of all offerings was, either to make an atonement for sin, 
thank God for favors received, or procure some new favor at his 
hand: while all of them pointed to the one great sacrifice the 
Messiah was to make in the offering up of himself : See Heb. x. 
1 ; Col. ii. 17 ; and Eom. xii. 1. 

There were but five sorts of animals allowed to be offered up 
as sacrifices ; namely, bullocks, sheep, goats, pigeons, and 
turtle-doves. All of these animals were required to be perfect 
in every part, without so much as spot or blemish ; and were all 
to be offered in the day-time. After the Tabernacle was erected, 
it was unlawful to sacrifice in any other place ; and afterwards in 
the Temple. All the sacrifices were salted; and the public ones 
were the holiest : Levit. ii. 13. 

A BURNT-OKKKKixu consisted of a bullock, a male lamb or kid ; 
unless the offerer was poor, when a dove, or pigeon was offered: 
Levit. chap. i. The burnt-offering was the chief of all the obla- 
tions; and the law required one to be offered at all the daily, 
weekly, monthly, or yearly feasts: besides these nine stated 

occasions on which the law required burnt-offerings, many occa- 
sional ones were offered : Read also Levit. vi. 8-13; \ii. 8; xxii. 

11) 25j Exod, xxviii., xxix. ; Nnnih. xv. I l(i; and xxviii.. xxix. ; 
Levit. xii. and xiv. 15. 

THE PEACE-OFFERING was expressive Of the offerer's thankful- 
ness to God for past favors, or some future ones SOUght, or vows 

paid: Bead attentively the following passages: Lev. iii. j vii 11 

34; xix. :> S; xxiii. L9, 20j and Dent, xviii. 3. 

The eitf-OFFEBiNG differed in its matter according to the crime 



386 THE JEWISH OFFERINGS. 

for which, it was offered, or to answer the ability of the offerer. 
For the sin of a priest, or for the Levites at their consecration, 
or an occasional sin of the whole congregation, it was a bullock : 
See Exod. xxix. 10-14 ; Lev. iv. 3-21 ; xvi. 6 ; Numb. viii. 12 ; 
xv. 24 ; xxviii. ; Bead also Numb. v. and vi., and Lev. xii., xiv. 
22 ; and xv. 14, 15, 29, 30. For the occasional sin of a private 
person it was a female kid, or lamb ; or if poor, two turtle-doves, 
or two young pigeons ; and if too poor to give those, a little flour 
was accepted. Thus we see, in every age, God has ever been 
mindful of the poor ; and requires no more from his creatures 
than they are well able to perform. 

The trespass-offering was different from the sin-offering ; 
but in what that difference consisted it is not easy to determine ; 
but that there was a difference is plain, in the case of the leper : 
See Lev. xiv. 10-20. The leper's trespass-offering was a he-lamb. 
The trespass-offering was ordered in the very same manner of the 
sin-offering, except in the leper's case : See Lev. chap. v. 

Meat-offerings were not sacrifices, but gifts. With all burnt- 
offerings, and peace-offerings, and the sin-offering, and trespass- 
offering of the leper, meat-offerings always attended ; but whether 
they accompanied all other sin-offerings and trespass-offerings is 
not certain. When meat-offerings were not voluntary, the quan- 
tity was stated ; it consisted of three omers, or tenth-deals of fine 
flour to a bullock; two to a* ram, and one to a lamb, or kid. Half 
a hin of oil attended the three omers, one-third the two omers, 
and one-fourth part the one omer, to fry it with. Frankincense 
was also used, and salt added to it. Carefully read the following 
passages : Lev. ii. ; vi. 15-23; vii. 9, 10, 13, 14; Numb. xv. 1-16; 
and xviii. 9, 10. 

The drink-offerings were never offered alone, but with the 
meat-offerings ; and the wine was the same in proportion to that 
of the oil. One part of the wine was poured on that part of the 
meat-offering which was burnt, and the other part belonged to 
the priest : but when the whole of the meat-offering was burnt, 
there is no doubt but the whole of the wine was also burnt : See 
Numb. xv. 1-16. 

A half-shekel of money was given, it appears, yearly by every 



THE SECTS MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE. 387 

adult Jew, for the ransom of his soul, to the service of the taber- 
nacle or temple. No man, however poor, was to give less ; or, 
however rich, to give more. Eead Exodus xxx. 12-16; and 
xxxviii. 25-28. 

THE SECTS MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE. 

The Samaritans were the descendants of those idolatrous 
nations, whom the king of Assyria sent to unite with the scat- 
tered few, in peopling Samaria and the land of Israel. They 
established a system of religion compounded of Judaism and 
heathenism: and the Jews hated them with a perfect hatred, 
looking upon them as the worst of all human beings : John viii. 
48. At present the Samaritans, though few in number, pretend 
strictly to observe the law of Moses ; and find great fault with 
the Jews for their negligence. They circumcise their children 
on the eighth day after their birth ; and do not allow a plurality 
of wives ; nor marry their nieces. They observe the Sabbath so 
strictly, that they will scarcely move, except to their synagogues. 

The Sadducees, who derived their name from Sadoc, their 
founder, were a sort of Deists. They believed that God was the 
only immaterial being ; that there was neither angel nor spirit ; 
that there was no resurrection of the dead, nor any future state ; 
and that men were absolute masters of themselves, and needed 
no assistance to enable them to do either good or bad. They 
rejected all traditions, and adhered to the texts of the sacred 
books ; though it is very evident they did not understand them. 
They were, in general, men of wealth ; and, without any restraint 
upon their corrupt passions and appetites, lived at their pleasure. 
They were zealous opposers of Jesus Christ and his apostles; 
and we never read of the conversion of one of them : Matt. xxii. 
28-34 ; Acts v. 17. 

The Piiahisees, or Sepcwatists, were so called because they 
distinguished themselves from others by a strict manner of life, 
of which they made profession. They were haughty despisera 
of the common people; and the greater part of the doctor* of the 
law or scribes were of this sect. They substituted human tradi- 
tions in the room of God's word, and were intolerably proud of 



388 THE SECTS MENTIONED IN SCRIPTURE. 

their religious attainments ; supposing they merited the favor of 
God by their outward observances. They fasted often, made long 
prayers, gave much alms, and in all things made a great outward 
show of religion; but were covetous, proud, unjust, superstitious, 
and hypocritical : See Luke xviii. 9-14. They were very particu- 
lar in wearing broad phylacteries or frontlets, which were scrolls 
of parchment, four in number, and on which they wrote certain 
words of the law. On the first piece, they wrote Exod. xiii. from 
verse 2-10 ; and on the second, from verse 11-21 ; on the third, 
Deut. vi. from verse 4-9 ; and on the fourth, Deut. xi. from verse 
13-21. These they put together, covered them with a piece of 
hard calf-skin, and bound them upon their foreheads, upon their 
wrists, and upon the hem of their garments, where they wore 
them during the morning and evening prayers : Matt, xxiii. 5. 
These customs they founded on what you read in Exod. xiii. 9-16, 
and Numb. xv. 38, 39. And as the prophets never spoke against 
the omission of this practice, it seems evident, they understood 
literally what was figuratively spoken : Bead Matt, xxiii. 

The Herodians shaped their religion to suit the times ; and 
though it is not certain what were their particular tenets, it is 
plain they had a leaven of their own, and that they sought to 
please men more than God; and more especially Herod: See 
Mark viii. 15, and xii. 13. But we may consider them rather a 
political party, than a religious sect. 

The Stoics were a sect of heathen philosophers, who prided 
themselves in an affected indifference to pleasure or pain, as 
though either were only imaginary ; and maintained that all 
things were determined by fate. They held that a wise man 
ought never to be moved by joy or grief. This sect appears. to 
have been numerous at Athens when the apostle Paul was there : 
Acts xvii. 18. 

The Libertines were free citizens of Rome ; and who, being 
Jews or proselytes, had a synagogue at Jerusalem peculiar to 
themselves : Acts vi. 9. 

The Epicureans were a sect of heathen philosophers, who 
followed the doctrines of Epicurus, the Athenian. They denied 
that God either made or governs the world, or in any way what- 



THE SECTS MENTIONED IN SCEIPTURE. 389 

ever interferes with his creatures on earth. They denied the 
existence of angels and the immortality of the soul. They main- 
tained that happiness consisted in pleasure ; but Epicurus allowed 
there was no pleasure but in virtue ; and some of his followers 
held to the same. Their principles were the very opposite of the 
Stoics; and they flourished about 300 years before the Christian 
era : Acts xvii. 18. 

The Galileans appear to have been a very turbulent, political 
party formed into a sect among the Jews ; who refused to be in 
subjection to any other nation ; and who, by degrees, swallowed 
up most of the other sects. They held much the same sentiments 
as the Pharisees ; and in general, they bore no good character for 
religion : John vii. 52. They considered it beneath the dignity 
of a Hebrew to pay a tax to heathens. Their first leader was 
Judas, the Galilean : Acts v. 37. This sect began the war with 
the Eomans which was never extinguished till the Jewish nation 
was completely ruined. 

The ISTicolaitans are expressly named in the iSTew Testament : 
Rev. ii. 6, 15; but who or what they are is not certain. It is 
said, they reckoned adultery and the use of meats offered to idols 
indifferent things ; and imputed all their wickedness to God as 
the cause. Nicholas, one of the first seven deacons, was a man 
distinguished for holiness and zeal : Acts vi. 5-7. And as noth- 
ing is said about his disgracing his profession as a Christian, we 
cannot think, with some, that he was the founder of this sect. 
It is not unlikely but they were the very same with, or, at least 
a part of the Gnostics. 

Nazarenes. Christ's dwelling at Xazareth gave rise to his 
being called a Nazarene: Matt. ii. 23. To be called a Nazarene, 
was to be called a worthless, despicable man, from whom no 
good was to be expected : John i. 40. This name was put upon 
Christ by way of reproach and contempt; they called his follow- 
ers Nazarenes, and this stuck to them all as a nick-name : Acts 
xxiv. 5. No name of reproach for religion's sake should seem 
hard to us; but we should rather rejoice that we are counted 
worthy to suffer for Christ, who was called a Xar.arene. 



390 OX SCKIPTURAL DIFFICULTIES. 

There is no point of importance in which the sixty-six books 
of the Bible do not perfectly agree. The few trifling differences 
which have been brought forward, are easily and satisfactorily 
accounted for, if we but consider, when different writers mention 
the same facts, each one relates the circumstances as he was 
acquainted with them. 

Printing is only a modern invention, and been practised but 
about 400 years ; and before that time books could be multiplied 
in no other way than by writing. Both the Hebrews and the 
Greeks often expressed their numbers by letters ; and some of 
them being very much alike, a hasty copyist might easily have 
mistook the one for the other ; yet not one doctrine or duty is 
rendered obscure on account of these differences. Some there 
are who neglect to " search the Scriptures ; " and assign as a reason 
for their so doing, that they find therein so many things they do 
not understand; and consequently, cannot believe them. How 
absurdly do such individuals act. who stumble over the difficulties 
they meet with in the Bible, whilst they pass unnoticed those 
plainly revealed truths, which, if attended to, would make them 
wise unto salvation ! We meet with many things in our daily 
life which we cannot understand : and yet no one doubts them. 
Whence comes pain ? Why are plagues, famines, and pestilences, 
sent to ravage the surface of the earth, and sweep away the 
thousands of its inhabitants ? We believe the grass grows, and 
that the sun shines, though we cannot understand how the one 
springs up, or the other performs its course. If, then, we believe 
so many natural things we cannot account for, why should we 
disbelieve spiritual things, merely because we are unable to ac- 
count for them? Is it anything wonderful that a finite worm 
cannot comprehend the wisdom, goodness, and glory of an in- 
finite God ? Would it not rather be more wonderful if he 
could ? 

The Bible was never designed to clear up every difficulty. 
The glimmering lamp of nature will never give sufficient light to 
enable us to see why the ungodly should prosper, and the godly 
be plagued and chastened continually; but the light of grace 
solves the difficulty, by showing us a state of future retribution : 
Ps. lxxiii. 12-19 ; Luke xxiii. 43 ; Phil. i. 21, 28. 



ON SCRIPTURAL DIFFICULTIES. 391 

You would do well to bear in mind that, though many passages 
may appear difficult to you, they are not at all difficult to those 
who are better acquainted with their Bibles, their own hearts, the 
world, and what were the particular customs of the Eastern coun- 
tries at the time the events recorded took place. Thus, when 
Christ sayc, " Neither do men put new wine into old bottles/' 
we cannot understand him till we are informed the bottles were 
not made of glass, as ours are ; but were a kind of leathern-bags 
made of skins, strongly stitched or pitched together ; and which, 
of course, as they became old and dry, would be unfit to hold new 
wine, which would ferment and burst them ; and the longer they 
were used the worse they would get. See Gen. xxi. 14 ; Josh. ix. 
4-13 ; Ps. cxix. 83 ; Jer. xiii. 12. God tries our hearts, and takes 
care to give sufficient light to guide the meek on their way, and 
leave the ungodly without an excuse. 

The chief reason why so many difficulties are found in the 
word of God, is, because the reader's heart is not right with 
God. For how can earthly-minded men enter into the meaning 
of heavenly truths ? 1 Cor. ii. 14, 15, The most obscure pas- 
sages that we meet with, ought, at least, to teach us humility. 
Those who have joined some particular party, and taken their 
sentiments from them, instead of the Bible, will always meet with 
difficulties in selecting particular passages to support their own 
opinions. But if all such would only be willing to relinquish 
their sentiments, and come to the Bible with a humble determina- 
tion to be guided by it, the difficulties met with would be very 
few and unimportant. Those who meditate most upon what they 
read, compare Scripture with Scripture, and pray for Divine 
instruction, will encounter the least difficulties ; and will find at 
every step their path become brighter and brighter, even unto the 
perfect day. Read for yourself, and apply what you read; and 
never turn from a passage too hastily because it is difficult; for 
if you are not above being taught, God will not be above teaching 
you : Ps, xxv. 9 J James i. 5. 



392 SUPPOSED FATE OF THE EVANGELISTS AND APOSTLES. 

Saint Matthew, the Apostle and Evangelist, was martyred in 
a city in Ethiopia. 

St. Mark, the Evangelist, was dragged through the streets of 
Alexandria, in Egypt, till he expired. 

St. Luke, the Evangelist, was hanged on a tree till he was 
dead, in Greece. 

St. John, the Apostle and Evangelist, after having been put in 
a caldron of boiling oil, at Borne, and receiving no hurt, died a 
natural death at Ephesus, in Asia. 

St. Peter was crucified at Kome ; and, according to his own 
request, with his head downwards ; thinking himself unworthy to 
die in the posture his Lord had done. 

St. James the Great, was beheaded at Jerusalem. 

St. James the Less, was thrown from a pinnacle of the tem- 
ple, and beaten to death with clubs. 

St. Philip was hanged against a pillar at Hierapolis, a city in 
Phrygia, till he expired. 

St. Bartholomew was flayed alive. 

St. Andrew was bound to a cross, and preached to the people 
till he expired. 

St. Thomas was pierced through the body with a lance, at 
Coromandel, in the East-Indies. 

St. Jude was shot to death with arrows. 

St. Simon the Zealot, was crucified in Persia. 

St. Matthias was first stoned, and afterwards beheaded. 

St. Barnabas was stoned to death, by the Jews, at Salamis. 

St. Paul, the great teacher of the Gentiles, was beheaded at 
Borne, by the tyrant Nero. 

Such was the fate of the first Preachers of the Gospel of Peace, 
according to the best accounts we have of their end. And, truly, 
they were sent forth as " sheep among wolves : " Matt. x. 16. 
Nor is the world any more friendly to the true disciples of Christ 
in our day, than it was in theirs : 2 Tim. iii. 12. Let us, then, 
take our Lord's advice, love all men, and fear none : Luke xii. 4, 5. 

Sin is a greater evil than death; therefore, dare to die, rather 
than sin. 



HEBEEW OFFICES. 393 

The Jewish government has been very fitly called a Theoc- 
racy ; that is, a government immediately superintended by God 
himself. Hence, when they desired a king, it was considered as 
rejecting the government of God. See 1 Sam. viii. 7 ; Hos. xiii. 
10, 11. 

The Patriarchs were the principal fathers of mankind, who 
lived in the early ages of the world, who became famous on ac- 
count of their long lives and descendants. See Gen. chap. v. 
The name, Patriarch, signifies head of a family : Acts ii. 29 ; vii. 
8, 9 ; Heb. vii. 4. 

The Prophets were eminent persons raised up and inspired 
by God among the Hebrews, to be the extraordinary ministers of 
his dispensations : 2 Pet. i. 21. They continued in succession for 
more than a thousand years, reckoning from Moses to Malachi. 
God's most usual way of making known his will to the prophets, 
was by inspiration : and which consisted in illuminating and dic- 
tating to the mind that which he intended they should proclaim. 
He appeared to Moses and to Job in a cloud : Numb. xi. 25 ; Job 
xxxviii. 1. He spake to Moses in the burning bush, and upon 
mount Sinai : Exod. iii. He spoke to Samuel in the night : 1 
Sam. iii. 4. He made known his will to Peter in a vision : Acts 
x. 11, 12. 

The Priests were those persons set apart to offer sacrifices to 
God, and to intercede with him for the people. 

The High-Priest was the first character in the Jewish govern- 
ment, and the medium of communication with God. He was 
consecrated to his office in the most solemn manner ; and had 
two kinds of garments ; one of which he wore on ordinary occa- 
sions, and the other only once a year, when he went into the 
most holy place alone. Exod. xxviii. and Lev. xvi. ; Heb. iv. 6. 
The priesthood was confined to the family of Aaron : and the 
first-born of the oldest branch of it was high-priest, it' his body 
was found entirely free from blemish. Read Exod. xxviii. ami 
xxix; Lev. xvi. and Heb. iii.; v.; vii.; viii.; ix. and x. chapters. 

The Priests, who were also of the family of Aaron, wore the or- 
dinary ministers of religion. It was their duty to offer the daily, 
and other sacrifices, under the direction of the high-priest, &c. 



394 HEBREW OFFICES. 

The Levites, who were the descendants of Levi, but not of the 
family of Aaron, were a lower order of persons, inferior in office 
to the priests. They applied themselves to the study of the law, 
and were dispersed through the country as the ordinary teachers, 
magistrates, and judges of the people. They had no sacred ap- 
parel ; but though the tribe of Levi were but about the fortieth 
part of the people, forty-eight cities, with their suburbs, were as- 
signed them for their dwelling ; and about one fifth part of the 
Hebrew income. Bead the following chapters : Exodus vi. ; xxxii. 
15-28 ; Numb. iii. ; iv. ; viii. ; x. ; and xviii. They had much 
more allotted them than what they received ; for when religion 
languished they were poorly paid. See Josh. xxi. and Keh. xiii. 

The Nethinims were servants who had been given up to the 
service of the tabernacle and temple : and were employed in 
doing the more laborious duties of hewing wood and drawing 
water. They were those Canaanites who by their craft had their 
lives spared. See Josh. ix. and Ezra viii. 20. 

Nazarites were persons devoted to the peculiar service of God 
for a week, a month, a year, or for life. Some of them devoted 
themselves by a vow to abstain from all intoxicating drinks ; — 
let their hair grow without cutting or shaving; — not to enter 
any house that was polluted by having a corpse in it ; nor to be 
present at any funeral. Eead Numb. vi. 1-21 ; Acts xviii. 18 ; 
xxi. 23-26. It was extremely wicked to offer them strong drink 
during their vow : Amos ii. 11, 12. Some were expressly claimed 
by God : as Samson and John the Baptist. Judges xvi. 17 ; 
Luke i. 15. Nazarite signifies sanctified, or consecrated. 

Scribes and Doctors of the law, in Scripture language, mean 
the same thing : and no mention is made of them till Judges v. 
14. They were employed to be the judges, interpreters, and 
preachers of the law to the people ; but the latter office they had 
no divine right unto. They were mostly of the tribe of Levi. See 
1 Chron. xxiii. 34 ; xxiv. 6 ; and 2 Chron. xxxiv. 13. 

The Publicans, though generally Jews, were particularly odi- 
ous to their brethren : and may be considered rather as Roman, 
than Hebrew officers ; seeing they were employed as tax-gatherers 
under the Romans. 



AN INDEX 
OF THE PROPER NAMES IN THE 

OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS: 

TOGETHER WITH THE ENGLISH ACCENTUATION AND PRONUNCIATION OF 

EACH WORD. 



ADVERTISEMENT. 



1. Throughout the following index, the Accentual Mark (') is intended to 
show, that the syllable to which it is affixed is that on which an emphasis is 
to be laid. 

2. The small letters are designed to express the proper sound, or Pronun- 
ciation of those Names to which they are attached. 

3. The letter g, wherever it is retained, must have its hard sound, as it has 
in the word good ; its soft sound, such as it has in George, being always ex- 
pressed by the letter j being put in the place of it. 

4. Whenever the letters ch occur in the Pronunciations, they are to have 
their soft sound, as in the word child; their hard sound, as in chord, being 
shown by the use of k in their stead. 

5. When a syllable is terminated by a vowel, if the accent be on the sylla- 
ble, the vowel must have a long sound. And when a consonant terminates a 
syllable, whether the accent be on the syllable or not, the vowel immediately 
preceding the final consonant must in general have a short sound. 

G. Wherever the letter i is a syllable of itself, and terminates a word, it 
must always have its long sound, as in mine, and when the letters at make but 
one syllable, they must be sounded like ay in the word day, 

I have been governed by the most eminent Prosodians, in the following 
table; and hope my young reader, by attending to the hints given, will be 
enabled to ascertain the most approved Pronunciation, and correct Accentua- 
tion, of any name therein contained. 



AAR 



896 



ALE 



Aaron, ar'ron. 
Aaronites, ar'ron-ites. 
Abaddon, a-bad'don. 
Abagtha, ab-ag'tha. 
Abana, ab'a-nah. 
Abarim, ab'a-rim. 
Abda, ab'da. 
Abdi, ab'dy. 
Abdiel, ab'de-el. 
Abdon, ab'don. 
Abed-nego, a-bed'ne-go. 
Abel, ay'bel. 
Abel-Beth-Maachah, 

ay'bel-beth-ma'a-kah. 
Abel-Maim, ay'bel-may'- 

im. 
Abel-Meholah, ay'bel- 

me-ho'lah. 
Abel-Mizraim, ay'bel- 

miz-ray'im. 
Abel-Shittim, ay'bel- 

shit'tim. 
Abez, ay'bez. 
Abi, ay'by. 
Abiah, a-by'ah. 
Abi-Albon, ay'be-al'- 

bon. 
Abiathar, ab-i'a-thar. 
Abib, ay 'bib. 
Abidah, ab-i'dah. 
Abidan, ab-i'dan. 
Abiel, ab-i'el. 
Abiezer, ay-be-e'zer. 
Abi-Ezrite, ay-be-ez'- 

rite. 
Abigail, ab'e-gale. 
Abihail, ab'e-hale. 
Abihu, ab-i'hu. 
Abijah, ab-i'jah. 
Abijam, ab-i'jam. 
Abilene, ab-e-le'ne. 
Abimael, ab-im 'ma-el. 
Abimelech, ab-im'me- 

lek. 
Abinadab, ab-in'na-dab. 
Abinoam, ab-in'no-am. 
Abiram, ab-i'ram. 
Abishag, ab-i'shag. 
Abishai, ab-bish'a-i, or 

ab-be-shay'i. 
Abishalom, ab-bish'a- 

lom. 
Abishua, ab-be-shu'a. 



Abishur, ab-bi'shoor. 
Abital, ab-bi'tal. 
Abitub, ab-bi'toob. 
Abiud, ab-bi'ud. 
Abram, ay'bram. 
Abraham, ay 'bra-ham. 
Absalom, ab'sa-lom. 
Accad, ak'kad. 
Accho, ak'ko. 
Aceldama, a-kel'da- 

mah. 
Achaia, a-kay'yah. 
Achaicus, a-kay'e-kus. 
Achan, a'kan. 
Achar, a'kar. 
Achbor, ak'bor. 
Achim, a'kim. 
Achish, a'kish. 
Achmetha, ak'me-thah. 
Achor, a'kor. 
Achsah, ak'sah. 
Achshaph, ak'shaf. 
Achzib, ak'zib. 
Adadah, ad'a-dah. 
Adah, ay'dah. 
Adaiah, ad-day'yah, or 

ad-a-i'ah. 
Adaliah, ad-a-li'ah. 
Adam, ad'dam. 
Adamah, ad'da-mah. 
Adami, ad'da-my, 
Adar, ay'dar. 
Adbeel, ad'be-el. 
Addi, ad'dy. 
Addon, ad'don. 
Adiel, ay'de-el. 
Adin, ay'din. 
Adithaim, ad-e-thay'im. 
Adlai, ad'lay-i. 
Admah, ad'mah. 
Admathah, ad'ma-thah. 
Adnah, ad'nah. 
Adoni-Bezek, ad-o'ni- 

be'zek. 
Adonijah, ad-o-ny'jah. 
Adonikam, ad-o-ny'kam. 
Adoniram, ad-o-ny'ram. 
Adoni-Zedek, ad-o'ni- 

ze'dek. 
Adoraim, ad-o-ray'im. 
Adoram, ad-o'ram. 
Adrammelech, ad-ram'- 

me-lek. 



Adramyttium, ad-ra- 

mit'te-um. 
Adria, ay'dre-ah. 
Adullam, ad-ul'lam. 
Agabus, ag'ga-bus. 
Agag, ay'gag. 
Agagite, ay'gag-ite. 
Agar, ay 'gar. 
Agrippa, a-grip'pah. 
Agur, ay'gur. 
Ahab, ay'hab. 
Ahasuerus, a-has-u-e'- 

rus. 
Ahava, ay'ha-va, or 

a-hay'vah. 
Ahaz, ay'haz. 
Ahaziah, a-ha-zy'ah. 
Ahiah, a-hy'ah. 
Ahiezer, a-hy-e'zer. 
Ahijah, a-hy'jah. 
Ahikam, a-hy'kam. 
Ahilud, a-hy'lud. 
Ahimaaz, a-him'ma-az. 
Ahiman, a-hy'man. 
Ahimelech, a-him'me- 

lek. 
Ahimoth, a-hy'mowth. 
Ahinoam, a-hin'no-am. 
Ahio, a-hy'o. 
Ahira, a-hy'ra. 
Ahisamach, a-his'sa- 

mak. 
Ahishar, a-hy'shar. 
Ahithophel, a-hith'o- 

fel. 
Ahitub, a-hy'tub. 
Ahihud, a-hy'hud. 
Ahlab, ah 'lab. 
Aholah, a-ho'lah. 
Aholiab, a-ho'le-ab. 
Aholibah, a-ho-li'bah. 
Aholibamah, a-ho-le- 

bay'mah, or a-ho-lib'a- 

mah. 
Ai, ay'i. 
Aioth, ay'oth. 
Ajalon, ad'ja-lon. 
Alammelech, al-am'me- 

lek. 
Alexander, al-ex-ari'- 

der. 
Alexandria, al-ex-an'- 

dre-a. 



ALL 



397 



BAA 



Alleluia, al-le-lu'yah. 
Allon, al'lon. 
Allon-Bachuth, al'lon- 

bak'kuth. 
Almodad, al-mo'dad. 
Alpha, al'fah. 
Alpheus, al-fe'us. 
Amalek, am'a-lek. 
Amalekites, am-al'ek- 

ites. 
Amana, am-ay'nah. 
Amariah, am-a-ry'ah. 
Amasa, am'a-sa. 
Amaziah, am-a-zy'ah. 
Ammah, am'mah. 
Ammi, am'my. 
Amminadab, am-min'na- 

dab. 
Ammihud, am-nii'hood. 
Ammishaddai, am'me- 

shad'day-i. 
Ammon, ara'mon. 
Ammonites, am'mon- 

ites. 
Amnon, am'non. 
Amon, ay'mon. 
Amorite, am'o-rite. 
Amos, ay'mos. 
Amoz, ay'moz. 
Amphipolis, am-fip'po- 

lis. 
Amplias, am'ple-as. 
Amram, am'ram. 
Amrapiiel, am'ra-fel. 
Anah, ay'nah. 
Anak, ay'nak. 
Anakims, an'ak-ims. 
Anammelecii, an-am'- 

me-lek. 
Ananias, an-a-ny'as. 
Anathotii, an'a-thowth. 
Andrew, anMroo. 
Andronicus, an-dro-ni'- 

kus. 
An i:r, ay'ncr. 

Anna, an'nah. 
Annas, an'nas. 

Antichrist, an'te-kryste. 

Antiocii, an'te-ok. 

Avni'As, an'te-pas. 
Antita tbis, an-te-pat'- 

ris, or an-tip'a-tris. 
Afbllbs, a-pelleei. 



Aphek, ay'fek. 
Apollonia, ap-po-lo'ne- 

ah. 
Apollos, a-pol'los. 
Apollyon, ap-pol'yon, 

or ap-pol'le-on. 
Apphia, af'yah, or af'fe- 

ah. 
Appii-Forum, ap'pe-i-fo'- 

rum. 
Aquila, ak'wil-ah. 
Ar, ar. 

Arabia, a-ray'be-ah. 
Arabian, a-ray'be-an. 
Aram, ay 'ram. 
Ararat, ar'ra-rat. 
Araunah, a-raw'nah. 
Area, ar'bah. 
Archelaus, ar-ke-lay'us. 
Archippus, ar-kip'pus. 
Arcturus, ark-tew'rus. 
Ard, ard. 
Areli, a-re'lie. 
Areopagite, a-re-op'a- 

gyte. 

Areopagus, a-re-op'a- 

gus. 
Aretas, ar'e-tas. 
Argob, ar'gobe, 
Ariel, ay're-el. 
Arimathea, a-re-ma- 

the'ah. 
Ariocii, ay'ri-ok. 
Aristarchus, ar-is-tar'- 

kus. 
Aristobulus, a-ris-to- 

bew'lus. 
Armageddon, ar-ma- 

ged'don. 
Armenia, ar-me'ne-ah. 
Aknon, ar'non. 
Aroer, ar'o-er. 
Arpad, ar'pad. 
Arphaxad, ar-fak'sad. 
Aim IAXBBXBB, ar-tar- 

zerk'ees. 
Aim i.mas, ar'te-mas. 
ASA, a v 'sail. 
A.8AHBL, as'a-hcl. 

Abaiah, a-say'ah. 
A- \iii, ay'saf. 
Asbnath, as'e-nath. 
Ashdod, aab/dod. 



Asher, ash'er. 
Ashima, ash'e-mah. 
Ashkenaz, ash'ke-naz. 
Ashtaroth, ash'tar- 

owth. 
Ashcr, ash'ur. 
Asia, ay 'shah. 
Askelon, as'ke-lon. 
Asnapper, as-nap'per. 
Assir, as'seer. 
Assos, as'sos. 
Assyria, as-syr're-a. 
Assyrian, as-syr're-an. 
Asyncritus, a-sin'krit- 

us. 
Atad, ay'tad. 
Athaliah, ath-a-ly'ah. 
Athenians, ath-ee'ne- 

ans. 
Athens, ath'ens. 
Attalia, at-ta-ly'ah. 
Augustus, aw-gus'tus. 
Ayen, ay'ven. 
Azariah, az-a-ry f ah. 
Azekah, az'ek-ah. 
Azgad, az'gad. 
Aznoth-Tabor, az'- 

nowth-tay'bor. 
Azotus, a-zo'tus. 
Azur, ay'zoor. 



B. 

Baal, bay'al. 
Baalah, bay'al-ah. 
Baal-Berith, bay'al- 

be'rith. 
Baal-Gad, bay'al-gad'. 
BAAL-HAMON, bay'al- 

hav'inon. 
Baal-Hermon, bay'al- 

her'mon. 
BAALI, bay'al-lie. 
Baaj im, bay'al-lim. 
Ha a lis, bavMil-lis. 

Baal-Mbon, bay'al- 

me'on. 
Baal-Pbob, bay'al-pe'or. 
Baaj -Pbb ^/.im, bay'al- 

per-aa im. 

B v vi Sii M.isiiA, bav'al- 
shal-ish'ah. 



BAA 



398 



CAR 



Baal-Tamar, bay r al-tay '- 

mar. 
.Baal-Zebub, bay'al-ze'- 

boob. 
Baal-Zephon, bay'al- 

zef'on. 
Baanah, bay'a-nah. 
Baashah, bay'ash-ah. 
Babel, bay'bel. 
Babylon, bab'be-lon. 
Babylonians, bab'be- 

lo'ne-ans. 
Babylonish, bab-be-lo'- 

nish. 
Baca, bay'kah. 
Bahurim, ba-hoor'im. 
Bajith, bay'jith. 
Balaam, bay 'lam. 
Balak, bay'lak. 
Bamah, bay'mah. 
Barabbas, bar-ab'bas. 
Barachel, bar'a-kel. 
Barachias, bar'a-ky'as. 
Barak, bay'rak. 
Bar-Jesus, bar-je'sus. 
Bar- Jonah, bar-jo'nah. 
Barnabas, bar'na-bas. 
Barsabas, bar'sa-bas. 
Bartholomew, bar- 

thol'lo-mew. 
Bartimeus, bar'te-me'- 

us. 
Baruch, bay'rook. 
Barzillai, bar-zil'la-i. 
Bashan, bay'shan. 
Bashemath, basli'e- 

math. 
Bath-Shebah, bath'she- 

bah. 
Bedad, be'dad. 
Bedan, be'dan. 
Beel-Zebub, be-el'ze- 

boob'. 
Beer, be'er. 
Beer-Lahai-Roi, be'er- 

la-hay'-e-roy. 
Beer-Sheba, be'er-she'- 

bah. 
Bekah, be'kah. 
Bel, bell. 
Belial, bee'le-al. 
Belshazzar, bel-shaz'- 

zar. 



Belteshazzar, bel-te- 

shaz'zar. 
Benaiah, ben-ay'yah. 
Ben-Ammi, ben-am'my. 
Benhadad, ben-hay 'dad. 
Benjamin, ben'ja-min. 
Benjamite, ben'ja-mite. 
Benoni, ben-o'ny. 
Beor, be'or. 
Berachah, ber-rak'kah. 
Berea, be-ree'ah. 
Berith, be'rith. 
Bernice, ber-ni'see. 
Besor, be'sor. 
Betah, be'tah. 
Bethabara, beth-ab'ar- 

ah. 
Bethany, beth'a-ne. 
Beth-Ayen, beth-ay'ven. 
Beth-Birei, beth-bir'i. 
Beth-Car, beth'kar. 
Beth-Dagon, beth-day'- 

gon. 
Beth-Diblathaim, beth'- 

dib-la-thay'im. 
Bethel, beth'el. 
Bethelite, beth'el-ite. 
Bether, be'ther. 
Bethesda, beth-es'dah. 
Beth-Ezel, beth-e'zel. 
Beth-Gamul, beth-ga'- 

mool. 
Beth-Haccerem, beth'- 

hak-er'em. 
Beth-Horon, beth-ho'- 

ron. 
Beth-Lehem, beth'le- 

hem. 
Beth-Lehem Ephratah, 

beth'le-hem ef ra-tah. 
Beth-Lehem-Judah. 

beth'le-hem-ju'dah. 
Bethlehemite, beth'le- 

hem-ite. 
Beth-Peor, beth-pe'or. 
Bethphage, beth'fa-jee. 
Bethsaida, beth-say'- 

dah. 
Bethshan, beth'shan. 
Beth-Shemesh, beth- 

she'mesh. 
Bethuel, beth'oo-el. 
Beulah, be-oo'lah. 



Bezaleel, be-zal'e-el. 
Bezek, be'zek. 
Bichri, bik'ry. 
Bidkar, bid'kar. 
Bigthan, big'than. 
Bildad, bil'dad. 
Bilhah, bil'hah. 
Birshah, bir'shah. 
Bithiah, bith-i'ah. 
Bithron, bith'ron. 
Bithynia, be-thin'e-ah. 
Blastus, blas'tus. 
Boanerges, bo'a-ner'- 

jees. 
Boaz, bo'az. 
Bochim, bo'kim. 
Booz, bo'oz. 
Bozez, bo'zez. 
Bozrah, boz'rah. 
Bul, bool. 
Buz, booz. 
Buzi, booz'i. 
Buzite, booz'ite. 



Cabul, kaVool. 
Caiaphas, kay'a-fas. 
Cain, kane. 
Cainan, kay-i'nan. 
Calah, kay'lah. 
Caleb, kay'leb. 
Caleb-Ephratah, kay'- 

leb-ef'ra-tah. 
Calneh, kal'nay. 
Calno, kal'no. 
Calvary, kal'va-re. 
Camon, kay'rnon. 
Cana, kay'nah. 
Canaan, kay'nan. 
Canaanite, kay'nan-ite. 
Candace, kan'da-see. 
Capernaum, ka-per'na- 

um. 
Caphtor, kaf 'tor. 
Cappadocia, kap'ad-o'- 

sha. 
Carcas, kar'kas. 
Carchemish, kar'kem- 

ish. 
Carmel, kar'mel. 
Carmelite, kar'mel-ite. 
Carmi, kar'my. 



CAR 



399 



ELI 



Carpus, kar'pus. 
Casiphia, ka-sif'yah. 
Cedron, see'dron. 
Cenchrea, sen'kre-ah. 
Cephas, see'fas. 
Caesar, see'zar. 
Cesarea, see-zar-e'a. 
Chalcol, kal'kol. 
Chaldea, kal-dee f a. 
Chaldean, kal-dee'an. 
Chaldees, kal-deez'. 
Charran, kar'ran. 
Chebar, ke'bar. 
Chedorlaomer, ke'dor- 

lay'o-mer. 
Chemarims, kem'ar- 

ims. 
Chemosh, kee'mosh. 
Chenaniah, ke-nan-i'ah. 
Cherethims, ke'reth- 

ims. 
Cherethites, ke'reth- 

ites. 
Cherith, ke'rith. 
Chesed, ke'sed. 
Chileab, kil'e-ab. 
Chilion, kil'yon. 
Chilmad, kil'mad. 
Chimham, kim'ham. 
Chios, ki'os. 
Chisleu, kis'lew. 
Chittim, kit/tim. 
Chiun, ki'oon. 
Chloe, klo'ee. 
Chorazin, ko-ray'zin. 

CHUSHAN-RlSH ATHAIM , 

koosh'an-rish-a-thay'- 

im. 
Chuza, koo'zah. 
Cilicia, si-lish'yah. 
Clacda, klaw'da. 
Claudia, klaw'de-ah. 
Clement, klem'ent. 
Cleophas, kle'o-fas. 
Colosse, ko-los'see. 
Coniah, ko-ni'ah. 
Corinth, kor'inth. 
Corinthians, kor-inth'- 

e-ans. 
Cornelius, kor-neel'- 

yus. 
Cozbi, koz'bye. 
Crescens, kres'sens. 



Crete, kreet. 
Cretes, kreets. 
Cretians, kreet'yans. 
Crispus, kris'pus. 
Cush, koosh. 
Cushan, koosh'an. 
Cushi, koosh'i. 
Cyprus, sy'prus. 
Cyrene, sy-ree'ne. 
Ctrenians, sy-reen/yans. 
Cyrenius, sy-reen'yus. 
Cyrus, sy'rus. 

D. 

Dabbasheth, dab-ash/ - 

eth. 
Daberath, day'ber-ath. 
Dagon, day'gon. 
Dalmanutha, dal-man- 

oo'tha. 
Dalmatia, dal-may'sha. 
Damaris, dam'a-ris. 
Damascus, dam-as'kus. 
Dan, dan. 
Daniel, dan'yel. 
Dara, day 'rah. 
Darius, da-ry'us. 
Dathan, day 'than. 
David, day'vid. 
Deborah, deb'or-ah. 
Decapolis, de-kap'po- 

lis. 
Dedan, de'dan. 
Dedanim, de'dan-im. 
Delilah, de-li'lah. 
Demas, de'mas. 
Demetrius, de-me'tri- 

us. 
Derbe, der'be. 
Deuel, doo'el. 
Diana, di-an'ah. 
Dibon, di'bon. 
Dibon-Gad, di'bon-gad'. 
Didymus, did'e-mus. 
Dimon, di'mon. 
Dinah, di'nah. 
Dinhabah, din'hab-ah. 
Dionysius, dy-o-nis'yus. 
Diotrephes, dy-ot're- 

feez. 
Doeg, do'eg. 
Dor, dor. 



Dorcas, dor^kas. 
Dothan, doe'than. 
Drusilla, droo-sil'lah. 
Dumah, doom'ah. 
Dura, doo'rah. 



E. 

Easter, ees'ter. 
Ebal, ee'bal. 
Ebed, ee'bed. 
Ebed-Melech, ee'bed- 

mee'lek. 
Eben-Ezer, ee'ben-ee'- 

zer. 
Eber, ee'ber. 
Ebiasaph, e-bi'a-saf. 
Ed, edd. 
Eden, eeMen. 
Edom, ee'dom. 
Edomites, e'dom-ites. 
Edrei, ed're-i. 
Eglah, eg'lah. 
Eglaim, eg-lay'im. 
Eglon, eg'lon. 
Egypt, ee/jipt. 
Egyptian, e-jip'shan. 
Ehud, e'hud. 
Ekron, ek'ron. 
Ekronites, ek'ron-ites. 
Elah, e'lah. 
Elam, e'lam. 
Elamites, e'lam-ites. 
Elath, e'lath. 
El-Bethel, el-beth'el. 
Eldad, el'dad. 
Elealeh, el-e-ay'lay. 
Eleazar, el-e-ay'zar. 
El-Elohe-Israel, el-el- 

o'he-iz'ra-el. 
Elhanan, el-hay 'nan. 
Eli, e'lye. 
Eliab, el-i'ab. 
Eliada, e-ly'a-da. 
Eliakim, el-i'a-kim. 
Km am, el-i'am. 
Elias, t'l-i'as. 
BLIA8HIB, el-i'a-shib. 
Eliathaii, c-ly'a-thah. 
ELIBZBB .el'i-e'zer. 
Elihorsph, el'i-ho'ref. 
EuHU, el-i'lioo. 



ELI 



400 



GIA 



Elijah, e-ly'jah. 
Elika, el-i'kah. 
Elim, e'lim. 

Elimelech, el-im'me-lek. 
Elioenai, el'e-o'e-nay'i. 
Eliphalet, el-i'fa-let. 
Eliphaz, el'le-faz, or e- 

li'faz. 
Elisabeth, e-liz'a-beth. 
Elisha, e-ly'sha. 
Elishah, e-ly'shah. 
Elishamah, el-i'ska-mah. 
Elisheba, el-i'she-ba. 
Elishua, el-i'shoo'a. 
Eliud, el-i'ood. 
Elizur, el-i'zoor. 
Elea.nah, el-kay'nah. 
Elmodam, el-mo'dam. 
Elnathan, el-nay'than. 
Elon, e'lon. 
Elul, e'lool. 
Eluzai, ePoo-zay'i. 
Elymas, el'e-mas. 
Emims, e'mims. 
Emmaus, em-may'us. 
Emmor, em'mor. 
En-Dor, en'dor. 
*Eneas, e'ne-as. 
En-Eglaim, en/eg-lay'im. 
En-Gedi, en'ged-i. 
En-Mishpat, en-niish'- 

pat. 
Enoch, e'nok. 
Enon, e'non. 
Enos, e'nos. 
En-Rogel, en-ro'gel. 
En-Shemesh, en-she'- 

mesh. 
Epaphras, ep'af-ras. 
Epaphroditus, ep-af 'ro- 

di'tus. 
Epenetus, ep-e'net-us. 
Ephah, e'fah. 
Ephes-Dammim, e'feez- 

dam'mim. 
Ephesians, ef-fee'zi-ans. 
Ephesus, ef'e-sus. 
Ephphatha, ef 'ath-a. 
Ephraim, ef'ra-im. 
Ephraimites, ef'ra-im- 

ites. 

*JE'ne-as, better spelling. 



Ephratah, ef'ra-tah. 
Ephrath, efrath. 
Ephrathites, ef 'rath- 

ites. 
Ephron, ef'ron. 
Epicureans, ep-e-kew- 

re'ans. 
Er, err. 

Erastus, e-ras'tus. 
Erech, e'rek. 
Esaias, e-za'yas. 
Esar-Haddon, e'sar- 

had'don. 
Esau, e'saw. 
Esek, e'sek. 
Esh-Baal, esh'bay-al. 
Eshcol, esh'kol. 
Eshtaol, esh'ta-ol. 
Eshtemoa, esh-tem-o 7 - 

ah. 
Esli, es'lye. 
Esrom, es'rom. 
Esther, ess'ter. 
Etam, e'tam. 
Etham, e'thani. 
Ethan, e'than. 
Ethanim, eth'an-im. 
Ethbaal, eth-bay'al. 
Ethiopia, ee-the-o'pe-a. 
Ethiopians, ee-the-o'pe- 

ans. 
Eubulus, yew-bew'lus. 
Eunice, yew-ny'see. 
Euodias, yew-o'de-as. 
Euphrates, yew-fray f - 

tes. 
Eutychus, yew'te-kus. 
Eve, eev. 
Evil-Merodach, ee'vil- 

me'ro-dak. 
Ezekiel, e-zee'ke-el. 
Ezel, e'zel. 
Ezion-Geber, e'ze-on- 

ge'ber. 
Ezra, ez'ra. 



F. 

Felix, fe'lix. 
Festus, fes'tus. 
Fortunatus, for-tu-nay'- 
tus. 



G. 

Gaal, gay'al. 
Gaash, gay 'ash. 
Gabbatha, gab'ba-tha. 
Gabriel, gay'bre-el. 
Gad, gadd. 

Gadarenes, gad-a-reens'. 
Gaddi, gad'dy. 
Gaddiel, gad'de-el. 
Gadites, gad'ites. 
Gaius, ga'yus. 
Galatia, gal-ay'sha. 
Galatians, gal-ay 'shans. 
Galbanum, gal'ba-num. 
Galeed, gal'e-ed. 
Galilee, gal'il-ee. 
Galileans, gal-le-lee'- 

ans. 
Gallim, gal'lim. 
Gallio, gal'li-o. 
Gamaliel, gam-ay 'le-el. 
Gammadims, gam 'ma- 
dims. 
Gat am, gay 'tarn. 
Gath, gath. 
Gath-Rimmon, gath-rim'- 

mon. 
Gaza, gay'zah. 
Geba, ge'bah. 
Gebal, ge ; bal. 
Gebim, ge'bim. 
Gedaliah, ged-al-i'ah. 
Gehazi, ge-hay'zye. 
Gemariah, gem-a-ry'ah. 
Gennesaret, gen-ness'- 

a-ret. 
Genubath, ge-nu'bath. 
Gera, ge'rah. 
Gerah, ge'rah. 
Gerar, ge'rar. 
Gergesenes, ger'ge- 

seens. 
Gerizim, ger're-zim. 
Gershom, ger'shom. 
Gershon, ger'shon. 
Geshur, ge'shoor. 
Geshurites, ge'shoor- 

ites. 
Gether, ge'ther. 
Gethsemane, geth-sem'- 

a-ne. 
Giah, gy'ah. 



GIB 



401 



IRA 



Gibeah, gib'e-ah. 
Gibeon, gib'e-on. 
Gibeonites, gib'e-on- 

ites. 
Gideon, gid'e-on. 
Gideoni, gid-e-o'ny. 
Gihon, gi'hon. 
Gilboa, gil-bo'ah. 
Gilead, gil'e-ad. 
Gileadites, gil'e-ad- 

ites. 
Gilgal, gil'gal. 
Giloh, gy'lo. 
Gilonite, gi'lon-ite. 
Girgashite, gir'ga-shite 
Gittite, git'tite. 
Gob, gobe. 
Gog, gog. 
Golan, go'lan. 
Golgotha, gol'go-thah. 
Goliath, go-ly'ath. 
Gomer, go'mer. 
Gomorrah, go-mor'rah. 
Goshen, go'shen. 
Gozan, go'zan. 
Grecia, gree'shah. 
Grecians, gree'shans. 
Greece, greece. 
Greek, greek. 
Greeks, greeks. 
Gur, goor. 



Habakkuk, ha-bak'ook. 
Hachaliah, hak-a-ly'- 

ah. 
Haciiilah, liak'e-lah. 
Hadad, hay 'dad. 
Hadadezer, had'ad-ee'- 

zer. 
IIadadkimmon, had'ad- 

rim'mon. 
Hadassah, had-as'sah. 
IIadokam, ha-do'ram. 
IIadracii, had rak. 
Ha<;ar, hay 'gar. 
Ha(;arenes, hay-gar- 

eons'. 
Hagarite8, hay'gar-ites. 
IIwjgai, hag'a-i. 
if looith, hag'gith. 
Hai.lklliaii, hal-le-loo'- 

yah. 



Ham, ham. 
Ham an, hay 'man. 
Hamath, hay 'math. 
Hammedatha, ham- 

med'a-tha. 
Hamon-Gog, hay'mon- 

gog'. 
Hamor, hay'mor. 
Hamutal, ha-moo'tal. 
Hanameel, han'am-e'el. 
Hananeel, han'an-e'el. 
Hanani, han-ay'ny. 
Hannah, han'nah. 
Hanoch, hay'nok. 
Hanun, hay 'noon. 
Haran, hay 'ran. 
Harbonah, har-bo'nah. 
Harod, hay 'rod. 
Harosheth, ha-ro'sheth. 
Hashmonah, hash-mo '- 

nah. 
Hatach, hay'tak. 
Havilah, ha-vil'ah. 
Havoth-Jair, hay'voth- 

Ja'ir. 
Hazael, haz'a-el. 
Hazarmaveth, hay'zar- 

may'veth. 
Hazelelponi, haz'e-lel- 

po'ni. 
Hazeroth, haz'er-oth. 
Hazor, hay'zor. 
Heber, he'ber. 
Hebrews, he'brews. 
Hebron, he'bron. 
Hegai, he'ga-i. 
Hege, he'ge. 
Helam, he'lam. 
Helbon, hel'bon. 
Heldai, hel'day-i. 
Heli, he'ly. 
Helkath-Hazurim, 

hel'katli-IIaz'zoor-im. 
II km an, lie 'man. 
Ih:\, lien. 
BbpHZI-BAH, hef-zi'bah. 

Bbrmes, her'mees. 

1 1 B B IC04 1 I M BB, her-moj '- 

en-eez. 
Ebrmon, her'mon. 

EbRMONITIB, her'mon- 

ites. 
Sbbod, her'od, 

Hkkodians, he-ro'de-ans. 



Herodias, he-ro'de-as. 

Herodion, he-ro'de-on. 

Heshbon, hesh'bon. 

Heth, heth. 

Hethlon, heth'lon. 

Hezekiah, hez-e-ky'ah. 

Hezron, hez'ron. 

Hiddekel, hid-dek'el. 

Hiel, hy'el. 

Hierapolis, hy-er-ap 'po- 
lls. 

Higgaion, hig-gay'yon. 

Hilkiah, hil-ky'ah. 

Hillel, hil'lel. 

Hinnom, bin 'no in. 

Hiram, hi'ram. 

Hittites, hit'tites. 

Hivites, hi'vites. 

Hobab, ho'bab. 

Hobah, ho'bah. 

Hoglaii, hog'lah. 

Hopiini, hoph'ni. 

Hor, horr. 

Horeb, ho'reb. 

Hor-hagidgad, hor'ha- 
gid'gad. 

Hormah, hor'mah. 

Horonaim, hor-o-nay'im. 

Horonite, hor'on-ite. 

Hosea, ho-ze'a. 

Hosiiea, ho-she'a. 

Hul, hool. 

Huldah, hool'dah. 

Hi u, hoor. 

Bushai, hoo'shay-i. 

Huzzab, hooz'ab. 

Htmbnbus, hy-men-ee'- 
us. 



Ir.iiAR, ib'har. 
[OHABOD, i'ka-bod. 
[OON1UM, i-ko'ne-nm. 
[DDO, id'doe. 
Iiumi.a, i-du-ine'a. 

Eg da i.i a, ig-da-lv'ah. 

I. ion, i'jon. 

li i.\ BIOl If, il-lirV-kum. 

Imi.au, im'lah. 

1mm am r.i., [m-man'u-el. 

[kDIA, ind'ya. 
[PHBDEIAH, if-ed-i'ah. 

Ira, i'rah. 



IRA 



402 



JUL 



Irad, i'rad. 
Irijah, i-ri'jah. 
Isaac, i'zak. 
Isaiah, i-zay'yah. 
Iscah, is'kah. 
Iscariot, is-kar'i-ot. 
Ishbak, ish'bak. 
Ishbi-Benob, ish'bi- 

ben'obe. 
Ish-Bosheth, ish-bo'- 

sheth. 
Ishmael, ish'ma-el. 
Ishmaelites, ish'ma-el- 

ites. 
Israel, iz'ra-el. 
Israelites, iz'ra-el-ites. 
Issachar, is'sa-kar. 
Italian, it-al'yan. 
Italy, it'a-le. 
Ithamar, i'tha-mar. 
Ithiel, ith'e-el. 
Ithream, ith're-am. 
It urea, it-u-re'a. 
Ivah, i'vah. 



Jaalam, jay'a-lam, 
Jaazania, ja-az-an-i'ah. 
Jabal, jay'bal. 
Jabbok, jab'bok. 
Jabesh, jay'besh. 
Jabesh-Gilead, jay'- 

besh-gil'e-ad. 
Jabez, jay'bez. 
Jabin, jay 'bin. 
Jabneel, jab'ne-el. 
Jachin, jay 'kin. 
Jacob, jay'kob. 
Jael, jay 'el. 
Jah, jah. 
Jahaz, jay'haz. 
Jahaza, ja'haz-ah. 
Jair, jay'er. 
Jairus, ja-i'rus. 
Jambres, jam'brees. 
James, jaymz. 
J anna, jan'nah. 
Jannes, jan'neez. 
Japheth, jay'feth. 
Japhiah, ja-fi'ah. 
Jareb, jay'reb. 
J a red, jay 'red. 



Jasher, jay'sher. 
Jason, jay 'son. 
Javan, jay 'van. 
Jazer, jay'zer. 
Jebus, je'boos. 
Jebusites, je'boos-ites. 
Jeconiah, jek-o-ni'ah. 
Jedidiah, jed-id-i'ah. 
Jeduthun, jed-ooth'oon. 
Jegar-Sahadutha, je'- 

gar-sa-ha-doo'tha. 
Jehoahaz, je-ho'a-haz. 
Jehoash, je-ho'ash. 
Jehoiachin, je-ho'ya- 

kin. 
Jehoiada, je-ho'ya-dah. 
Jehoiakim, je-ho'ya- 

kim. 
Jehonadab, je-ho'na- 

dab. 
Jehoram, je-ho'ram. 
Jehoshaphat, je-hosh'af- 

at. 
Jehovah, je-ho'vah. 
Jehovah- Jireh, je-ho'- 

vah-ji'ray. 
Jehovah-Nissi, je-ho'- 

vah-nis'si. 
Jehovah-Shalom, je- 

ho'vah-sha'lom. 
Jehovah-Shammah, je- 

ho'vah-sham'mah. 
Jehovah-Tsidkenu, je- 

ho'vah-tsid'ke-nu. 
Jehu, je'hu. 
Jehudijah, je-hood-i'- 

jah. 
Jemima, je-mi'mah. 
Jephthah, jef'tah. 
Jephunneh, je-foon'eh. 
Jerah, je'rah. 
Jerahmeel, je-rah'me- 

el. 
Jeremiah, jer-e-my'ah. 
Jericho, jer'e-ko. 
Jerimoth, jer'ri-moth. 
Jeroboam, jer-o-bo'am. 
Jerubbaal, je-roob'bay- 

al. 
Jerubbesheth, je-roob'- 

be-sheth. 
Jerusalem, je-roo'sa- 

lem. 
Jerusha, je-roo'sha. 



Jeshimon, je-shim'on. 
Jeshua, jesh'oo-a. 
Jeshurun, jesh-oor'oon. 
Jesse, jes'se. 
Jesui, je-soo'i. 
Jesuites, je'soo-ites. 
Jesus, jee'sus. 
Jether, je'ther. 
Jethro, jeth'ro. 
Jetur, je'toor. 
Jeush, je'oosh. 
Jew, jew. 
Jewish, jew'ish. 
Jewry, jew 're. 
Jews, jewz. 
Jezebel, jez'e-bel. 
Jezrahiah, jez-rah-i'ah. 
Jezreel, jez're-el. 
Jezreelite, jez're-el-ite. 
Jidlaph, jid'laf . 
Joab, jo'ab. 
Joah, jo'ah. 
Joanna, jo-an'ah. 
Joash, jo 'ash. 
Job, jobe. 

Jochebed, jo'ke-bed. 
Joel, jo' el. 
Joezer, jo-e'zer. 
Johanan, jo-hay'nan. 
Johar, jo'hah. 
John, jon. 
Jokshan, jok'shan. 
Joktan, jok'tan. 
Jonadab, jon'na-dab. 
Jonah, jo'nah. 
Jonas, jo'nas. 
Jonathan, jon'a-than. 
Joppa, j op 'pah. 
Joram, jo 'ram. 
Jordan, j or 'dan. 
Jorim, jo 'rim. 
Jose, jo'se. 
Joseph, jo'sef. 
Joses, jo'sez. 
Joshua, josh'u-a. 
Josiah, jo-sy'ah. 
Jotham, jo'tham. 
Jubal, joo'bal. 
Jubilee, jew'be-lee. 
Judah, jew'dah. 
Judas, jew'das. 
Jude, jewd. 
Judea, jew-dee'a. 
Julia, jew'le-a. 



JUL 



403 



MEL 



Julius, jew'le-us. 


L. 


Magog, may'gog. 


Junia, jevv'ne-a. 


Magor-Missabib, may'- 


Jupiter, jew'pe-ter. 


Laban, lay 'ban. 


gor-mis'sa-bib. 


Justus, jus'tus. 


Lachish, lay'kish. 


Mahalaleel, may-hay- 




Lahmi, lah'my. 


la-lee'el. 




Laish, lay'ish. 


Mahalath, mah'al-ath. 




Lamech, lay'mek. 


Mahanaim, may'han-ay'- 


K. 


Laodicea, lay'od-i-see'a. 


im. 




Laodiceans, lay'od-i- 


Maher-Shalal-Hash- 


Kabzeel, kab'ze-el. 


see'ans. 


Baz, may'her-shay'lal- 


Kadesh, kay'desh. 


Lapidoth, lay'pid-oth. 


hash'baz. 


Kadesh-Barnea, kay'- 


Lazarus, laz'a-rus. 


Mahlah, mah'lah. 


desh-bar'ne-ah. 


Leah, lee'ah. 


Mahlon, mah'lon. 


Kedar, kee'dar. 


Lebanon, leb'ba-non. 


Makkedah, mak'ke-dah. 


Kedemah, ke-de'mah. 


Lebbeus, leb-be'us. 


Malachi, mal'a-ky. 


Kedemoth, ke-de'moth. 


Legion, lee'jun. 


Malcham, mal'kam. 


Keilah, ki'lah. 


Lehabim, le'hab-im. 


Malchishua, mal-ke- 


Kemuel, kem'oo-el. 


Lehi, le'hy. 


shoo'ah. 


Kenaz, kee'naz. 


Lemuel, lem'oo-el. 


Malchus, mal'kus. 


Kenites, keen'ites. 


Levi, lee'vy. 


Mammon, mam'mon. 


Keren-Happuch, ke'- 


Levites, lee'vites. 


Mamre, mam're. 


ren-hap'ook. 


Libnah, lib'nah. 


Manaen, ma-nay 'en. 


Kerioth, ke're-oth. 


Libni, lib'ny. 


Manasseh, ma-nas'ay. 


Keturah, ke-too'rah. 


Libya, lib'e-a. 


Maneh, may'ne. 


Kezia, ke-zi'ah. 


Libyans, lib'e-ans. 


Manoah, ma-no 'ah. 


Keziz, kee'ziz. 


Linus, ly'nus. 


Maon, may 'on. 


Kibroth-Hattaavah, 


Lo-Ammi, lo-am'my. 


Mara, may'ra. 


kib'roth-hat-tay'a-vah. 


Lois, lo'is. 


Marah, may'rah. 


Kidron, kid'ron. 


Lo-Euhamah, lo-roo'- 


Marcus, mar'kus. 


Kir, kirr. 


ham-ah. 


Mark, mark. 


Kir-Haraseth, kir'- 


Lot, lott. 


Mars-Hill, marz-hill'. 


ha-ras'eth. 


Lucas, loo'kas. 


Martha, mar'tha. 


Kiriathaim, kir'jath- 


Lucifer, loo'sif-er. 


Mary, may 're. 


ay'im. 


Lucius, loosh'yus. 


Masrekah, mas-rek'ah. 


Kirjath, kir'jath. 


Luke, lewk. 


Massah, mas 'sah. 


Kirjath-Arba, kir'jath- 


Luz, looz'. 


Matri, may 'try. 


ar'bah. 


Lycaonia, ly-kay-o'ne-a. 


Mattan, mat 'tan. 


Kirjath-Arim, kir'jath- 


Lydda, lid'dah. 


Mattathias, mat-ta- 


ar'im. 


Lysanias, ly-say'ne-as. 


thy'as. 


Kirjath-Baal, kir'jath- 


Lystra, lis'trah. 


Matthat, mat 'that. 


bay'al. 




Mattiikw, math'thew. 


Kirjath-Jearim, kir'- 




Matthias, ma-thv'as. 


jath- je'a-rim. 


M. 


Ma/./.akoth, niaz'za- 


Kirjath-Sannah, kir'- 


roth. 


jath-san'nah. 


Maaciiaii, may'a-kah. 


Mbdad, mee'dad. 


Kirjath-Sephbr, kir'- 


Maaskiah, ma-a-sy'ah. 


Mbdan, mee'dan. 


jath -see 'fer. 


MAOEDONlAj mas-se-do'- 


Mbdbs, meedi. 


Kisn, Irish. 


ne-a. 


Media, mee'de-a. 


KniiM, kit'tim. 


Machib, may'kir. 


Mbgiddo, me-gid'do. 


Kohatii, ko'hath, 


Maohpelah, mak-pee'- 


Mbgiddon, me-gid'don. 


EOHATHITEB, ko'hath- 


Lah, 


MbhBTABBL, me-het'ta- 


ites. 


Magdala, mag'da-lah. 


bel. 


Kokah, ko'rah. 


Ma(.dali:ne, mag'da-lee'- 


Mi:iii,iai:i., me-hoo'ja-el. 




ne. 


Mii.cHi, mel'ky. 



MEL 



404 



OBE 



Melchizedek, mel-kiz'- 

ze-dek. 
Melita, mel'it-a. 
Memphis, mem'fis. 
Memucan, me-moo'kan. 
Menahem, me-nay'hem. 
Mene, mee'ne. 
Mephibosheth, me-fib'- 

bo-sheth. 
Merab, mee'rab. 
Merari, iner-a'ry. 
Mercurius, mer-kew're- 

us. 
Meribah, me'rib-ah. 
Merib-Baal, me'rib- 

bay'al. 
Merodach, me'ro-dak. 
Merodach-Baladan, 

mer'ro-dak-bal'a-dan. 
Merom, mee'rom. 
Meroz, mee'roz. 
Meshach, mee'shak. 
Meshech, mee'shek. 
Meshelemiah, me-shel'- 

e-mi'ah. 
Mesopotamia, mes'o-po- 

tay'me-a. 
Messiah, mes-sy'ah. 
Metheg-Ammah, mee'- 

theg-am'mah. 
Methusael, me-thoo'- 

sa-el. 
Methuselah, rue-thoo'- 

se-lah. 
Micah, my'kah. 
Micaiah, my-kay'yah. 
Michaiah, the same. 
Michael, mi'ka-el. 
Michal, my'kal. 
Michmash, mik'mash. 
Midian, mid'de-an. 
Midianites, mid'de-an- 

ites. 
Midianitish, mid-de-an- 

i'tish. 
Migron, mig'ron. 
Milcah, mil'kah. 
Milcom, mil'kom. 
Miletum, my-lee'tum 
Millo, mil'lo. 
Minni, niin'ny. 
Minnith, min'nith. 
Miriam, mir'e-am. 
Mishael, mish'a-el. 



Misrephoth-Maim, mis'- 

re-f o wth-may f y im. 
Mitylene, mit/il-ee'ne. 
Mizar, my'zar. 
Mizpah, nriz'pah. 
Mizpeh, miz'peh. 
Mizraim, miz-ray'yim. 
Mnason, nay'son. 
Moab, mo'ab. 
Moabites, mo'ab-ites. 
Moladah, mo-lad'ah. 
Molech, mo'lek. 
Moloch, mo'lok. 
Mordecai, mor'de-kay. 
Moriah, mor-i'ah. 
Moseroth, mo'se-roth. 
Moses, mo'zez. 
Mushi, moo'shy. 
Myra, my 'rah. 
Mysia, mish'yah. 

N. 

Naamah, nay'a-mah. 

Naaman, nay'a-man. 

Naamathite, nay-am'a- 
thite. 

Naashon, na-ash'on. 

Naasson, na-as'son. 

Nabal, nay'bal. 

Naboth, nay'both. 

Nadab, nay' dab. 

Nagge, nag ' gee. 

Nahamani, na'ham-ay'- 
ni. 

Nahum, nay 'hum. 

Nain, nay'in. 

Naioth, nay'oth. 

Naomi, nay-o'my. 

Naphish, nay'fish. 

Naphtali, naf'ta-ly. 

Narcissus, nar-sis'us. 

Nathan, nay 'than. 

Nathanael, na-than 'ay- 
el. 

Nathan-Melech, nay'- 
than-me'lek. 

Naum, nay'oom. 

Nazarene, naz-a-reen'. 

Nazareth, naz'a-reth. 

Nazarites, naz'ar-ites. 

Neapolis, ne-ap'po-lis. 

Nebaioth, ne-bay'oth." 

Nebat, nee'bat. 



Nebo, nee'bo. 
Nebuchadnezzar, neb- 

ew-kad-nez'zar. 
Nebuzar-Adan, neb'u- 

zar'a-dan. 
Necho, nee'ko. 
Nehelamite, ne-hel'am- 

ite. 
Nehemiah, ne-hem-i'ah. 
Nehushta, ne-hoosh'tah. 
Nehushtan, ne-hoosh'- 

tan. 
Nemuel, nem'oo-el. 
Nepheg, nee'feg. 
Nephishesim, ne-fish'es- 

im. 
Ner, nerr. 
Nereus, ne'roos. 
Neri, nee'ry. 
Neriah, ner-i'ah. 
Nethaneel, neth-an'e-el. 
Nethaniah, neth-an-i'ah. 
Nethinims, neth'in-ims. 
Nibhaz, nib'haz. 
Nicanor, ny-kay'nor. 
Nicodemus, nik-o-dee'- 

mus. 
Nicolaitans, nik'o-lay'- 

it-anz. 
Nicolas, nik'o-las. 
Nicopolis, nik-o'po-lis. 
Niger, ny'jer. 
Nimrim, nim'rim. 
Nimrod, nim'rod. 
Nimshi, nim'shy. 
Nineveh, nin'ev-ay. 
Ninevites, nin'ev-ites. 
Nisan, ny'san. 
Nisroch, nis'rok. 
Noadiah, no-ad-i'ah. 
Noah, no 'ah. 
Nob, nobe. 
Nobah, no'bah. 
Nod, node. 
Noph, nofe'. 
Nun, noon. 
Nymphas, nim'fas. 



O. 

Obadiah, ob-ad-i'ah. 
Obal, o'bal. 
Obed, o'bed. 



OBE 



405 



REG 



Obed-Edom, o'bed-ee f - 

dom. 
Obil, o'bil. 
Ocran, ok 'ran. 
Oded, o'ded. 
Og, ogg. 
Ohel, o'hel. 
Oltmpas, o-limj/as. 
Omar, o'mar. 
Omega, o-meg'ah. 
Omri, om'ri. 
Onan, o'nan. 
Onesimus, o-nee'sim-us. 
Onesiphorus, o-nes-if'- 

o-rus. 
Ophel, o'fel. 
Ophir, o'feer. 
Ophrah, off 'rah. 
Oreb, o'reb. 
Orion, o-ry'on. 
Ornan, or'nan. 
Orpah, or'pah. 
Othni, oth'ny. 
Othniel, oth'ne-el. 
Ozem, o'zem. 
Ozias, o-zy'as. 



Paarai, pay'ar-ay'i. 
Padan-Aram, pay'dan- 

ay'ram. 
Pagiel, pay'ge-el. 
Palestina, pal'es-ty-na. 
Palti, pal'ty. 
Pamphylia, pam-fil'yah. 
Paphos, pay 'f os. 
Paran, pay 'ran. 
Parbar, par'bar. 
Parmenas, par'men-as. 
Parosh, pay'rosh. 
Parshandatha, par'- 

shan-day-tha. 
Parthians, par'the-ans. 
Paruah, par-oo'ah. 
Pabhur, pash'oor. 
Pataua, pat'ar-ah. 
Pathbos, path'ros. 
Patmos, pat'mos. 
Patrobas, pat'ro-bas. 
Pau, pay'oo. 
Paul, pawl. 
Paulus, paw'lus. 
Pbdahzub, pe-dah'zoor. 



Pedaiah, pe-dah-i'ah. 
Pekah, pee'kah. 
Pekahiah, pe-kah-i'ah. 
Pelatiah, pe-lat-i'ah. 
Peleg, pee'leg. 
Pelethites, pel'eth- 

ites. 
Peniel, pe-ny'el. 
Peninnah, pe-nin/nah. 
Penuel, pe-new'el. 
Peor, pee'or. 
Perga, per'gah. 
Pergamos, per'ga-mos. 
Perizzites, per'iz-zites. 
Persia, per'shah. 
Persis, per'sis. 
Peter, pee'ter. 
Pethuel, pe-thu'el. 
Phalec, fay'lek. 
Phallu, fal'oo. 
Phalti, fal'ty. 
Phanuel, fan-oo ; el 
Pharaoh, fay'ro. 
Pharez, fay'rez. 
Pharpar, f ar'par. 
Phaseah, fay-see'ah. 
Phebe, fee'be. 
Phenice, fe-ny'se. 
Phicol, fy'kol. 
Philadelphia, fil-a- 

del'fe-a. 
Philemon, fil-ee'mon. 
Philetus, fil-ee'tus. 
Philip, fil'ip. 
Philippi, fil-lip'pi. 
Philistia, fil-ist'yah. 
Philistines, fil-ist/ins. 
Philologus, fil-o'lo-gus. 
Philosophers, fil-os'o- 

fers. 
Phinehas, fin'e-as. 
Phlegon, fleg'on. 
Phrygia, frij'e-a. 
Phuraii, foor'ah. 
Piiygellus, fi-gel'lus. 
Pi-Hahirotii, pi'ha-hi'- 

roth. 
Pilate, pi'lat. 
Pinon, pi'non. 
Piuatiion, pi'rath-on. 
Pisg vn, pis'gah. 
Pisidia, py-sid'yah. 
Tison, py'son. 
Pithom, py 'thorn. 



Pithon, py'thon. 
Pontius, pon'shus. 
Pontus, pon'tus. 
Poratha, po'rath-ah. 
Porcius, por'shus. 
Potiphar, pot'e-far. 
Poti-Pherah, pot'e-fer'- 

ah. 
Prisca, pris'kah. 
Priscilla, pris-il'ah. 
Prochorus, prok'or-us. 
Publius, pub'le-us. 
Pudens, pew'dens. 
Pul, pool. 
Punon, poon/on. 
Pur, poor. 

Puteoli, poo-tee'o-li. 
Putiel, poot'e-el. 



Quartus, quart'us. 

R. 

Raamak, ray'am-ah. 
Rabbah, rab'bah. 
Rabbi, rab'bi. 
Rab-mag, raVmag. 
Rab-Saris, rab'sar-is. 
Rab-Shakeh, rab'sha- 

kay. 
Rachal, ray'kal. 
Rachel, ray'chel. 
Ragau, ray'gaw. 
Raguel, ray'goo-el. 
Rahab, ray'hab. 
Rakkath, rak'kath. 
Rakkon, rak'kon. 
Ram, ram. v 

Ram ah, ray 'mah. 
RAMATH, ray 'math. 
Ramath-Lbhi, ray'math- 

lee'hi. 
Ramathaim-Zophxm, 

ray'ma-thay'im-co'flm. 
Ramsses, ray'me-seei. 

RAHOTH, ray'moth. 
Kapha, ray 'fall. 
RafHU, ray 'f oo. 

RbbAj ree'bah. 

R b BE k v ii , ro-bek'kah. 
Rbobab, ree'kab, 
RB0HABITB8, ree'kab- 
ites. 



REG 



406 



SHI 



Regem, ree'gem. 
Regem-Melech, re'gem- 

mee'lek. 
Rehabiah, re-hab-i'ah. 
Rehob, re'hob. 
Rehoboam, re-ho-bo'am. 
Rehoboth, re-hob'oth.. 
Rehum, ree'hoom. 
Rei, ree'i. 

Remaliah, rem-al-i'ah. 
Remmon, rem'rnon. 
Remphan, reni'fan. 
Rephael, re' fa-el. 
Rephaim, re-fay'im. 
Rephaims, re-fay'ims. 
Rephidim, ref 'id-im. 
Resen, ree'sen. 
Reu, too. 
Reuben, roo'ben. 
Reubenites, roo'ben- 

ites. 
Reuel, roo'el. 
Reumah, room 'ah. 
Rezin, ree'zin. 
Rezon, ree'zon. 
Rhegium, ree'je-um. 
Rhesa, ree'sah. 
Rhoda, ro'dah. 
Rhodes, roads. 
Riblah, rib'lah. 
Rimmon, rim'mon. 
Riphath, ry'fath. 
Rissah, ris'sah. 
Rizpah, riz'pah. 
Romamti-Ezer, ro-mam' 

ti-ee'zer. 
Roman, ro'man. 
Rome, roam. 
Rosh, rowsh. 
Rufus, roo'fus. 
Ruhamah, roo-ham'ah. 
Rumah, roo'mah. 
Ruth, rooth. 

S. 

Sabeans, sab-ee'ans. 
Sabta, sab'tah. 
Sabtecha, sab'te-kah. 
Sadoc, say'dok. 
Salah, say'lah. 
Salamis, sal'am-is. 
Salathiel, sal-ay'the-el. 
Salem, say'lem. 



Salim, say'lim. 
Salmon, sal'mon. 
Salmone, sal-mo 'ne. 
Salome, sa-lo'me. 
Samaria, sa-may're-a. 
Samaritans, sa-mar're- 

tans. 
Samlah, sam'lah. 
Samos, say'mos. 
Samothracia, sam-o- 

thray'shah. 
Samson, sam'son. 
Samuel, sam'u-el. 
Sanballat, san-bal'lat. 
Saph, saf. 
Saphir, saf 'ir. 
Sapphira, saf-fy'rah. 
Sarah, say 'rah. 
Sarai, say'ra-i. 
Sardis, sar'dis. 
Sarepta, sa-rep'tah. 
S argon, sar'gon. 
Saron, say'ron. 
Sarsechim, sar'se-kim. 
Saruch, say'rook. 
Satan, say 'tan. 
Saul, sawl. 
Sceva, see'vah. 
Scythian, sith'e-an. 
Seba, see'bah. 
Sebat, see'bat. 
Segub, see'goob. 
Seir, see'ir. 
Seleucia, se-loo'shah. 
Semei, sem'e-i. 
Seneh, see'nay. 
Sennacherib, sen-ak'er- 

ib. 
Sepharvaim, se'far-vay'- 

im. 
Serah, see'rah. 
Seraiah, se-ray'yah. 
Sergius-Paulus, ser'je- 

us pawl'us. 
Serug, see'roog. 
Seth, seth. 

Shaalbim, shay-alb 'im. 
Shaaraim, shay-ar-ay'- 

im. 
Shaashgaz, shay-ash'- 

gaz. 
Shadrach, shad'rak. 
Shalim, shay'lim. 
Shalisha, shal'le-sha. 



Shallum, shal'lum. 
Shalman, shal'man. 
Shalmanezer, shal-man- 

ee'zer. 
Shamgar, sham 'gar. 
Shamhuth, sham'hooth. 
Shamir, shay'mir. 
Shammah, sham'mah. 
Shammuah, sham'oo-ah. 
Shaphan, shay 'fan. 
Shaphat, shay'fat. 
Sharai shar'a-i. 
Sharezer, shar-ee'zer. 
Sharon, shay'ron. 
Shashak, shay'shak. 
Shaveh, shay'veh. 
Shealtiel, she-al'te-el. 
Shear-Jashub, she'ar- 

jay'shoob. 
Sheariah, she-ar-i'ah. 
Sheba, shee'bah. 
Shebaniah, shee-ban-i'- 

ah. 
Shebna, sheb'nah. 
Shechem, shee'kem. 
Shedeur, she'de-oor. 
Shelah, shee'lah. 
Shelemiah, she-lem-i'- 

ah. 
Sheleph, shee'lef. 
Shelomith, she-lo'mith. 
Shelumiel, she-loom'e- 

el. 
Shem, shem. 
Shemaiah, she-may 'ah. 
Shemeber, shem'ee-ber. 
Shemer, shee'mer. 
Shemida, shem-e'dah. 
Sheminith, she-my'nith. 
Shemiramoth, shem-i'- 

ra-moth. 
Shen, shenn. 
Shenir, shee'nir. 
Shephatiah, she-fat-i'- 

ah. 
Sheshach, shee'shak. 
Sheshbazzar, shesh- 

baz'zar. 
Shether-Boznai, shee'- 

thar-boz'na-i. 
Sheva, shee'vah. 
Shibboleth, shib'bo- 

leth. 
Shicron, shik'ron, 



SHI 



407 



TOP 



Shiggaion, shig-gay'- 

yon. 
Shigionoth, shig'i-o'- 

noth. 
Shiloah, shy-lo'ah. 
Shiloh, shy'loh. 
Shilonite, shy'lo-nite. 
Shimeah, shim'me-ah. 
Shimei, shim'e-i. 
Shimshai, shim/shay -i. 
Shinar, shy'nar. 
Shiphrah, shif'rah. 
Shishak, shy'sbak. 
Shittim, shit'tim. 
Shobab, sho'bab. 
Shobach, sho'bak. 
Shuah, shoo'ah. 
Shual, sboo'al. 
Shuhite, shoo'hite. 
Shulamite, shoo'lam- 

ite. 
Shunem, shoo'nem. 
Shuppim, shoop'pim. 
Shur, shoor. 
Shushan, shoo'sban. 
Siiuthelah, shoo-thee'- 

lah. 
Sibmah, sib'mah. 
Sidon, sy'don. 
Sihon, si'hon. 
Sihor, si'hor. 
Silas, si'las. 
Siloam, si-lo'am. 
Siloe, si-lo-e, or sil'o-e. 
Silvanus, sil-vay'nus. 
Simeon, sim'e-on. 
Simon, sy'mon. 
Sin, sinn. 

Sinai, si'na-i, or si'nay. 
Sion, sy'on. 
Sikion, syr'e-on. 
SlSBBA, si'ser-ab, or sis'- 

er-ah. 
SlYAN, si' van. 
Smvkna, smir'nah. 
So, so. 

SOCOH, so'ko. 
SODI, so'di. 
Sodom, BOd'om. 

Sodomites, sod'om-ites, 

Solomon, BOl'om-OIl. 
Sofatbb, so'pa-ter. 

BOBBKj so'rck. 
SOSIFATEB, so-sip'pa-ter. 



Sosthenes, sos'then-eez. 
Spain, spane. 
Stachys, stay'kis. 
Stephanas, stef'an-as. 
Stephen, stee'ven. 
Succoth, sook'koth. 
Succoth-Benoth, sook'- 

koth-be'noth. 
Sur, soor. 

Susanna, su-san'nah. 
Susi, soo'si. 
Sychar, sy'kar. 
Syene, sy-e'ne. 
Syntyche, sin'te-ke. 
Syracuse, syr'a-kuse. 
Syria, syr'e-a. 
Syriac, syr'e-ak. 
Syrian, syr'e-an. 
Syrians, syr'e-ans. 
Syrophenician, sy'ro- 

fe-nish'yan. 

T. 

Taanach, tay'an-ak. 
Taanath-Shiloh, tay'a- 

nath-sbi'loh. 
Tabbath, tab'batb. 
Tabeal, tab'e-al. 
Tabeel, tab'e-el. 
Taberah, tab'er-ab. 
Tabitha, tab'itb-ah. 
Tabor, tay'bor. 
Tabrimon, tab'rim-on. 
Tadmor, tad'mor. 
Tahapanes, ta-bap'pa- 

neez. 
Tahpenes, tab'pen-cez. 
Talitha-Cumi, tal'itb- 

a-koom'i. 
T LLMAI, tal-may'i, or 

tal'may. 
Tamar, tay'mar. 
TAMMUZ, tam'mooz. 
Tanhumeth, tan-hoom'- 

eth. 
Tape lth, tay'fath. 
Tabpblitbs, tar'pel-itei. 

TABSHISH, tar'sbisb. 

v \ bsus, tar'sus. 
Tabt ik, tar'tak. 
Tab can, tar'tan. 

Tain a i, tat'nay-i. 
TEBAHj too'bnh. 



Tebeth, tee'beth. 
Tekel, tee'kel. 
Tekoa, te-ko'a. 
Tekoah, te-ko'ah. 
Tel-Harsa, tel-har'sah. 
Tel-Melah, tel-mee'lah. 
Tema, tee'mab. 
Teman, tee'man. 
Temanite, tee'man-ite. 
Terah, tee'rah. 
Teraphim, ter'ra-fim. 
Tertius, ter'sbus. 
Tertullus, ter-tul'lus. 
Tetrarch, tet'rark. 
Thaddaeus, thad-dee'us. 
Thahash, thay'bash. 
Thamah, thay'mah. 
Thebez, tbee'bez. 
Thelasar, thel'as-ar. 
Theophilus, the-of'fe- 

lus. 
Thessalonians, thes-sa- 

lo'ne-ans. 
Thessalonica, tbes'sa- 

lon-i'kah. 
Tiieudas, thoo'das. 
Thomas, torn 'mas. 
Thyatira, tby-a-ty'rah. 
Tiberias, ti-be're-as. 
Tiberius, ti-bc're-us. 
Tibni, tib'ny. 
Tidal, ti'dal. 

TlGLATH-PlLESER, tig'- 

lath-pil-e'zer. 
Timaeus, ti-mee'us. 
Timnath, tim'nath. 
Timon, ti'mon. 
Timotheus, ti-mo'the-us. 
TlPHSAH, tif'sab. 
Tikiiakaii, tir'ba-kab. 
TlBSHATHA, tir-sbay'tha. 
Tibzah, tir'zab. 
Tishbitb, tish'bite. 
Titus, ti'tus. 
Ton, tobe. 
Tob-Adonijah, tobe'ad- 

o-ni'jah. 
Tobiah, to-bi'ah. 
Tooabmah, to-gar'mah. 

Tom , to'hoo. 
Toi, to'i. 

Tola, to'lah. 
Tophel, to'fel, 
Tophbt, to'fet 



TRO 



408 



zuz 



Troas, tro'as. 
Trogyllium, tro-jil'- 

yum. 
Trophimus, trof ' im-us. 
Tryphena, tri-fee'nah. 
Tryphosa, tri-fo'sah. 
Tubal, too'bal. 
Tubal-Cain, too'bal- 

kane'. 
Tychicus, tik'ik-us. 
Tyrannus, ti-ran'nus. 
Tyre, tire. 
Tyrus, ti'rus. 

U. 

Ucal, oo'kal. 
Ulai, oo'lay-i. 
Ulam, oo'lam. 
Ulla, oo'la. 
Unni, oon'ny. 
Uphaz, oo'faz. 
Ur, oor. 
Uri, oo'ry. 
Uriah, oo-ri'ah. 
Uriel, oo'ri-el. 
Urijah, oo-ri'jah. 
Urim and Thummim, 

oo'rim and thoom/im. 
Uz, uzz. 
Uzzah, ooz'zah. 
Uzzen-Sherah, ooz'en- 

she'rah. 
Uzzi, ooz'zy. 
Uzziah, ooz-zi'ah. 
Uzziel, ooz'ze-el. 
Uzzielites, ooz'ze-el- 

ites. 

V. 

Vashni, vasb/ny. 
Vashti, vash'ty. 
Vophsi, vof'sy. 



Z. 

Zabbai, zab'bay-i. 
Zabdi, zaVdy. 
Zaccheus, zak-kee'us. 
Zachariah, zak-ar-i'ah. 
Zadok, zay'dok. 
Zaham, zay'ham. 
Zair, zay'ir. 
Zalmon, zal'nion. 
Zalmonna, zal-mo'nah. 
Zalmunna, zal-moon'- 

nah. 
Zamzummims, zam- 

zoom'ims. 
Zanoah, zan-no'ah. 

Z APHNATH- PAANE AH, 

zaf'nath-pay-an-e'ah. 
Zarah, zay'rah. 
Zarephath, zar're-fath. 
Zebadiah, zeb-ad-i'ah. 
Zebah, zee'bah. 
Zebedee, zeb'ed-ee. 
Zeboim, ze-bo'im. 
Zebul, zee'bool. 
Zebulun, zee'bool-oon, 

or zeb'u-lun. 
Zechariah, zek-ar-i'ah. 
Zedekiah, zed'ek-i'ah. 
Zeeb, zee'eb. 
Zelek, zee'lek. 
Zelophehad, ze-lo'fe- 

had. 
Zelotes, ze-lo'teez. 
Zelzah, zel'zah. 
Zenas, zee'nas. 
Zephaniah, zef-an-i'ah. 
Zephath, zee'fath. 
Zepho, zee'fo. 
Zerah, zee 'rah. 
Zeredah, zer'e-dah. 
Zeresh, zee'resh. 
Zeror, zee'ror. 



Zeruah, zee'roo-ah. 

Zerubbabel, ze-roofc' ba- 
bel. 

Zeruiah, zer-oo-i'ah. 

Zethar, zee'thar. 

Ziba, zi'bah. 

Zibeon, zib'e-on. 

Zibiah, zib'e-ah. 

Zichri, zik'ry. 

Zidon, zi'don. 

Zidonians, zy-do'ne- 
ans. 

Zif, ziff. 

Ziklag, zik'lag. 

Zillah, zil'lah. 

Zilpah, zil'pah. 

Zimran, zim'ran. 

Zimri, zim'ry. 

Zin, zinn. 

Zion, zi'on. 

Zior, zi'or. 

Ziph, ziff. 

Zippor, zip'por. 

Zipporah, zip-po'rah. 

Zithri, zith'ry. 

Ziz, zizz. 

Zoan, zo'an. 

Zoar, zo'ar. 

Zobah, zo'bah. 

Zobebah, zo-be'bah. 

Zohar, zo'har. 

Zoheleth, zo-he'leth. 

Zophar, zo'far. 

Zorah, zo'rah. 

Zorobabel, zo-rob'a- 
bel. 

Zuar, zoo'ar. 

Zuph, zoof . 

Zur, zoor. 

ZURISHADDAI, ZOO f ri- 

shad'day-i. 
Zuzims, zoo'zims. 



AN INDEX, 

FOR THE TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE TREATED OF. 



Chapter. Verse. Page. 

GENESIS, 

iii. 15 116 

EXODUS, 

xix. 6 166 

xxiii. 25 34 

NUMBERS, 

xxi. 8 198 

DEUTERONOMY. 

iv. 7 224 

vii. 9 210 

vii. 13 56 

viii. 5 134 

x. 18 58 

x. 18 62 

xiv. 29 258 



1 


SAMUEL. 




ii. 


6 


76 


2 CHRONICLES 


, 


xiv. 


11 . 


70 


XV. 


7 


206 


XX. 


20 


250 


XXX. 


9 
JOB. 


202 


iii. 


17 


180 


v. 


18 


136 


v. 


20 


66 


v. 


26 


20 


xvii. 


9 


280 


xix. 


26 


174 


xxii. 


26 
PSALMS. 


184 




1 


240 


i. 


3 


32 


ix. 


18 


60 


X. 


17 


162 


xii. 


5 


74 


xvi. 


11 


188 


xviii. 


30 


306 


xxiii. 


1 


12 


xxiii. 


2 


126 


xxiv. 


3,4 


264 


xxxi. 


20 


72 


xxxi. 


24 


118 


xxxii. 


5 


204 


xxxii. 


8 


106 


xxxiv. 


7 


164 


xxxiv. 


18 


274 


xxxvi. 


9 


m 


xxxvii. 


8 


16 


xli. 


1 


256 


xli. 


3 


62 


xlvi. 


1 


42 


xlviii. 


14 


80 


xlix. 


15 


182 


L 


10 


46 


It. 


22 


11 


Ix. 


12 


68 



POfJC. 

100 
286 

50 
132 
130 
132 

82 
236 
234 

26 

22 
252 
272 
186 

98 

242 
160 
114 
212 

14 
278 
124 
260 

38 
254 

40 
266 

36 
176 
208 
244 
262 
238 

28 
268 
200 
222 
218 

ECCLESIASTES. 
ii. 26 120 

vii. 18 112 

viii. 12 220 



84 

9 

2H 12 

2S2 

108 
214 

138 
294 
196 

'270 
2SS 
168 
808 

141) 



Chapter. 


Verse. 


lxxxiv. 


11 


lxxxvii. 


3 


xci. 


3 


xci. 


14 


xcii. 


12 


xciv. 


18 


ciii. 


3 


cxii. 


1 


cxix. 


105 


cxix. 


165 


cxxi. 


5 


cxxxiii. 


1 


cxxxviii. 


6 


cxl. 


13 


cxlv. 


18 


PROVE 




8,9 




23 


ii. 


12 


viii. 


17 


x. 


24 


X. 


28 


X. 


31 


xi. 


17 


xii. 


7 


xii. 


20 


xii. 


21 


xiv. 


23 


xiv. 


26 


xiv. 


32 


XV. 


8 


xvii. 


2 


XX. 


22 


xxi. 


23 


xxii. 


4 


xxiii. 17, 18 


xxviii. 


13 


xxviii. 


14 


xxviii. 


2(5 





ISAIAH 


i. 


18 




1!) 


ii. 


1 


xi. 


10 


xii. 


8 


xxvi. 


4 


\ \vi. 


ID 


\ x v i i . 


3 


1 1 v i i i . 


16 


1 1 i | . 


L9 


\ \ i I . 


21 


I \ \ i i . 


17 


xl. 


8 


xli. 


13 



Chapter. 


Verse. 


Page. 


xlii. 


3 


158 


xiv. 


22 


86 


xiv. 


24 


154 


xiv. 


25 


80 


xlvi. 


4 


54 


xlix. 


6 


284 


xlix. 


9 


156 


xlix. 


13 


170 


xlix. 


15 


48 


liii. 


5 


90 


liii. 


11 


78 


Iv. 


1 


230 


lviii. 


11 


122 


lxiii. 


16 


94 


lxvi. 


5 


276 


JEREMIAH. 




i. 


7,8 


246 


XV. 


11 


64 


XV. 


19 


248 


xxiii. 


6 


296 


xxxi. 


9 


96 





DANIEL. 


vii. 


14 


vii. 


18 


vii. 


27 


xii. 


3 



LAMENTATIONS. 
iii. 26 216 

iii. 31 150 

EZEKIEL. 

xx. 43 104 

xxxiv. 23 302 

xxxvi. 26 102 

CL. 

300 
192 
298 
190 

178 

88 

128 

110 

140 
172 

228 

904 

ill 



xm. 
xiv. 
xiv. 
xiv. 

ii. 

iii. 



HOSEA. 

14 

4 

5 

8 

JOEL. 

27 

16 

AMOS. 

1 

OBADIAH. 

17 

MIC A II. 

is 





ZEPHANIAH. 




iii. 


17 

ZECHARIAH. 


112 


ii. 




21 


ii. 


8 


lis 


iii. 


4 


18 


xiii. 


1 


92 


xiii. 


9 


226 



410 



INDEX FOK THE TEXTS. 



Chapt 


er. Verse. 


Page. 


Chapter. Verse. Page. 


Chapter. Verse. Page. 




MALACHI. 




xvi. 


33 


27 


iii. 


22 


245 


iii. 


3 


290 


xvii. 


3 


233 


1 TH] 


iv. 


2 


152 


xvii. 


15 


41 


iv. 


17 


195 




MATTHEW. 




xvii. 


21 


293 


2 THESSALONIANS. 


iv. 


4 


67 




ACTS. 




iii. 


3 


39 


v. 

V. 
V. 
V. 
V. 

v. 


3 
4 
5 
6 

7 
8 


275 
87 
35 
231 
261 
265 


ii. 
iii. 
iv. 
x. 

X. 

xiii. 


39 
19 
12 
35 

38 
39 


37 
203 

91 
221 

75 

79 


ii. 
iv. 
iv. 
vi. 


1 TIMOTHY. 
15 

8 

16 

6 


57 

15 

247 

269 


V. 


9 


255 


xviii 


10 


71 




2 TIMOTHY. 




vi. 
vi. 


14 

26 


263 
17 


v. 


ROMANS. 
1 


81 


i. 
i. 


7 
12 


119 
177 


vi. 


30 


19 


v. 


3,4 


135 




TITUS. 




vi. 


33 


32 


viii. 


15 


163 


iii. 


5 


103 


vii. 


21 


207 


viii. 


24 


217 




HEBREWS. 




viii. 


11 


283 


viii. 


31 


147 


i. 


14 


165 


ix. 


13 


105 


viii. 


32 


13 


ii. 


15 


77 


x. 


22 


219 


viii. 


37 


49 


vi. 


19 


173 


X. 


29 


21 


ix. 


15 


145 


viii. 


12 


83 


X. 


32 


201 


X. 


17 


235 


X. 


23 


309 


X. 


- 41 


251 


xi. 


2 


303 


xi 


6 


229 


xi. 


28 


85 


xiv. 


22 


209 


xi. 


16 


139 


xii. 


31 


89 


xvi. 


20 


297 


xiii. 


5 


25 


xvi. 

xviii. 

xxiv. 

XXV. 
XXV. 
XXV. 

xxviii 


18 
20 
35 
21 
23 
34 
20 


295 
109 
307 
189 
267 
193 
55 


1 CORINTHIANS, 
i. 30 121 
ii. 12 161 
vi. 11 101 
viii. 3 211 
x. 13 45 
xii. 8 125 


xiii. 
iv. 


16 
JAMES. 

5 

9 
12 
27 

6 


257 

31 
61 

113 
63 

131 




MARK. 




XV. 


55 


179 


iv. 


7 


117 


ix. 
xvi. 


23 
15,16 


197 
127 


2 CORINTHIANS, 
i. 171 


iv. 
v. 


8 
15 


227 
51 




LUKE. 




i. 


10 


215 




1 PETER. 




vi. 


22 


277 


iii. 


16 


305 


i. 


7 


53 


vii. 


50 


169 


iv. 


17 


137 


ii. 


2 


237 


XV. 


21,22 


205 


v. 


8 


183 


ii. 


20 


279 


xviii. 


14 


273 


vi. 


17,18 


241 


iii. 


4 


271 


XX. 


36 


185 


X. 


4 


69 


iii. 


10 


239 


xxi. 


15 


65 


xii. 


9 


43 


iv. 


14 


73 


xxiii. 


43 


181 




GALATIANS. 




v. 


4 


249 




JOHN. 




i. 


4 


115 


v. 


7 


149 


i. 


16 


155 


iii. 


13 


157 




2 PETER. 




iii. 


16 


153 


iii. 


. 26 


97 


ii. 


9 


41 


vi. 


45 


289 


v. 


16 


111 




1 JOHN. 




vii. 

xii. 

xii. 

xii. 

xiii. 

xiv. 

xiv. 

xiv. 


17 
26 
32 
46 
35 
2 
18 
21 


107 

29 
285 
199 
253 
187 
151 
213 


vi. 

vi. 

ii. 
ii. 
v. 
vi. 


6 

9 

EPHESIANS. 

7 

18 

25 

2,3 


259 

281 

93 

99 

159 

243 


ii. 
iii. 
iv. 

i. 
i. 
xi. 


17 
1 

10 
REVELATION 

6 

17, 18 

15 


11 

95 

143 

167 

23 

301 


xiv. 


23 


141 




PHILIPPIANS 




xvi. 


15 


223 


XV. 


5 


129 


i. 


6 


133 


xix. 


8 


291 


XV. 


7 


225 


v. 


19 


59 


xix. 


20 


299 


xvi. 


13 


123 




COLOSSIANS. 




xxi. 


23 


287 


xvi. 


22 


175 


iii. 


4 


191 


xxii 


21 


310 



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